KEY POINTS:
Police were called to a tense stand-off as the custody battle over schoolgirl Caitlin Thorne escalated last night.
The 7-year-old was snatched by her mother for a second time despite a court giving a parenting order to father Terry Thorne.
That order was sought after Nicola Richards snatched Caitlin last week while the girl was visiting her maternal grandparents. She usually lives with her father in Australia.
Mr Thorne arrived in New Zealand on Wednesday and agreed to let Caitlin stay with her grandparents for the night.
He also agreed that Ms Richards could stay so she could have more time with Caitlin.
But when Mr Thorne returned to the grandparents' West Auckland home to collect Caitlin at 4pm yesterday, the custody dispute took another nasty turn.
"When I came back they wouldn't give her to me," he told the Herald.
Two police cars arrived about 6.30pm. It is understood police persuaded Ms Richards to bring Caitlin out of a barn in which she'd locked herself and the girl.
Police left with Ms Richards and Caitlin in the car about an hour later.
Caitlin has been living with her father in Australia since January.
Mr Thorne alleged Ms Richards was using drugs and associating with criminals, including her boyfriend, Iain Clegg, who is facing a charge of murdering undercover policeman Don Wilkinson.
