Finally, on 20th Feb 2026, my latest effort to free my son through the French courts worked, and he was placed into my permanent care.

He should never have been held hostage by the French.

He never did anything wrong, and neither did I.

We went to hospital to ask for help, and this is what we got: My child kidnapped by the French state, at the behest of a judge so ignorant that not only did she not reply to a single one of the multiple, urgent requests filed by my legal team each time that my boy suffered yet another abuse in French care, but who didn’t even have the common courtesy to reply to the British Consulate in Paris’s multiple requests to visit my son. Each time I and the UK Government’s representatives in France were ignored. We may as well have thrown our letters out of the window.

Take a bow, Judge Elizabeth Collanges. I hope you can sleep at night.

This matter was raised recently in the House of Commons by Robbie Moore M.P., and we have received acknowledgement of the facts by the Minister Stephen Doughty M.P., but as yet no explanation as to why the British Consulate in Paris accepted being ignored in this way by the French, and why they didn’t push to gain access to my child. It is my contention that if they had visited him when I initially requested, in November 2024, even if he had been detained as he was for 470 days, with regular oversight by the British Consulate the French authorities would not have felt able to abuse, mistreat and torture my child as they did with complete impunity. It is for this reason that I will continue pushing, to find out who is responsible for this total lack of care and attention on behalf of the British Government for a British child with no other national affiliations, illegally detained and abused by our nearest neighbours.

It is an absolute disgrace what the French did to my child. I have said it before, and I will say it again: I can only recommend that no UK family travel to or transit through France with their children: if it can happen to me, it can happen to anybody.

During my son’s illegal and inhumane detention by the French, he was stolen from, beaten, tortured, and purposefully psychologically degraded on a daily basis.

We have made several complaints to the police, but so far I have heard nothing, not even regarding the torture directed and carried out by D***s G*n*****s in Mantes-La-Jolie during the night of 8-9th February 2025.

I am keeping this page open because I am still desperately seeking help to pay the legal fees incurred in freeing my boy. Once these have been settled, I will be going after D***s G*n*****s and others who deliberately set out to harm my child.

When I say going after, I mean legally, not literally. But I will need help to do this. Everything costs money.

Because I was put in jail for saving my son’s life, I lost my hitherto successful business. I am still fighting, and I will never stop. But I really need your help to see these people brought to justice.

Please feel free to share this far and wide.

For any media enquiries, please send me a direct message via Linked In. I am easy to find. I am happy to be interviewed in English, French, Dutch or German.

Thank you all for your support so far. Now let’s finish the job.

David.

#FreeL202 #SaveMyBoy

Original page: Save Leopold Greaves. Help free my boy and bring him home.

Help fund the legal fight to bring my son home:

***This page has been fact-checked and approved by the GoFundMe Legal & Ethics team***

Who is Leopold Greaves?

Leopold is the most kind-hearted, bright, genuinely funny, inquisitive and fun-loving child. I am so proud to be his father.

He loves sports, particularly Football, MMA and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He loves making people laugh, and can never resist a joke.

He loves his family. And he misses them terribly.

My son’s reality:

Over this past year, my son has been separated from his family, friends, sport, and schooling.

On 6 November 2024, I took my son Leopold (then 13) to a Paris children’s hospital. He was being bullied terribly at school, and his mental health was suffering. He had asked me for help.

On 8 November 2024, by court order, Leopold was placed in State care.

He has remained there since, essentially a prisoner because he asked his father for help.

Whilst in the System in France, he has been terribly mistreated. I have filed a criminal complaint alleging he was subjected to treatment amounting to torture in State care—specifically prolonged sleep deprivation and physical assault. These are allegations and are under active police investigation, as are several others.

Despite everything, he has shown extraordinary strength and resilience. He has been patient and brave in the face of adult systems far bigger than him, which I feel have let him down dreadfully.

My job is to match his courage with the legal support he needs.

Who I am:

My name is David Greaves.

I am a fairly unremarkable individual. I am from Yorkshire in England, but have spent significant parts of my career living abroad.

I’m a person who’s always worked hard and tried to do the right thing.

I play cricket (Marylebone Cricket Club, Steeton C.C., and for various French teams), I’m a student of Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, I’ve run a few marathons, and I make electronic music.

I ran my own business successfully for 14 years.

But most of all, I am a father. I have three amazing children. I have barely seen Leopold since 8th November 2024 and have not seen my other two since 6 November 2024.

This isn't about me, it's about helping Leopold. But I, like him, have been going through hell since the moment I took him to hospital for help.

I’ve always tried my best—as a father and as a human being.

What happened to me—and why funds are urgent:

In March 2025, I was arrested in The Netherlands on an international arrest warrant issued by the French on suspicion of Kidnapping and Hostage Taking, allegations relating to my son’s case.

At the time of my arrest, my son was receiving the best in-patient care available in The Netherlands (in my opinion), and was being treated with such kindness and dignity. The polar opposite, in fact, of the treatment he was being subjected to in France.

I was detained for 92 days in a maximum security prison in The Netherlands before being extradited to France, where I was immediately released by a judge.

My 14-year old business collapsed while I was in custody.

At 48, I have to reinvent my career: my former profession is closed off to me. My client base (mainly international law firms & financial services) will not engage someone who has been imprisoned, regardless of outcome.

I have completely run out of funds to support my children, pay our (not excessive) mortgage, and cover basic living costs while I continue this legal fight.

What I need — and why now:

€50,000 already paid in legal fees (mostly borrowed).

€15,000 currently owed to counsel.

Costs continue to rise (family court, criminal matters, expert reports);

Initial goal: €95,000.

This clears the €15,000 arrears immediately and funds the next phases (family + criminal procedures, expert reports, certified translations, court fees, and essential travel).

I will post receipts and redacted documents for transparency.

Ongoing legal costs:

Family lawyers: these are the most critical, working on my behalf to try and get my son released and returned to his family at the earliest possible opportunity.

Criminal lawyers: to pursue the cases relating to the torture (prolonged sleep deprivation and assault) my boy has suffered while in State care — investigation ongoing.

Criminal lawyers: evidence filed concerning the initial bullying campaign at school, involving not just the child but also the child's father, a senior cybersecurity executive (CISO), ironically at a former client, for an alleged sustained cyber-harassment campaign against my family that, in my view, pushed my child toward suicidal ideation — police investigation ongoing.

To respect due process and platform rules, I am not naming individuals; updates will follow as allowed.

How your donation will be used (next 3–6 months):

* Family-court representation: hearings, briefs, appeals

* Criminal-matter counsel: defense + complaints

* Independent / court-ordered expert reports (medical/psych/legal)

* Certified translations & sworn interpreters

* Bailiff/registry fees, dossier copies, certified extracts

* Essential travel to hearings and meetings

* Basic living costs and mortgage payments while litigating (no current income; business closed)

Timeline:

* 6 Nov 2024 — Took my son to a Paris children’s hospital

* 8 Nov 2024 — Court-ordered placement in State care (ongoing)

* Mar–Jun 2025 — I was arrested in NL for taking my son to hospital there; 92 days detained; extradited; released. Lost my business.

* 2024 –present: Fighting to free my boy through all legal means possible: €50,000 already paid; €17,000 currently owed. Costs rising.

If you can, please donate and share this page. My son desperately needs all the help possible.

Your support funds the next filing, the next hearing, the next step toward bringing my son home.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and thank you in advance for those of you who can help.

David.

#SaveMyBoy

#FreeL202