A DECADE ago the world's media spotlight turned on Chester andFlintshire when Alan and Judith Kilshaw sparked an internationaloutcry after buying two American babies over the internet.
And while 10 years have passed since the sensational story broke,many will still remember the scandal caused by the husband and wifedubbed 'Britain's most hated couple'.
The Kilshaws, now separated, made the news on both sides of theAtlantic in 2001 after their ultimately unsuccessful Americanadoption bid.
The couple paid pounds 8,200 to an online 'adoption broker' fortwin baby girls, Kimberley and Belinda.
The deal prompted public outrage after the reviled couple broughtthe baby girls back to Flintshire.
Kimberley and Belinda were swiftly taken into the care ofFlintshire social services and are now being looked after by fostercarers in America.
Now, in a recent interview with a national newspaper, Judith saidthe couple are seeking damages from Flintshire County Council forthe 'unlawful removal of their adopted children', and are reportedlyseeking damages to the tune of pounds 1m each.
When contacted by the Chronicle Judith's press officer said shewould not do an interview unless we paid her pounds 500.
Alan, 55, now lives in Shotton with his teenage sons and sayshe's been left suffering from agoraphobia after being abused andharassed in the street.
"My life has been a nightmare," he said. "It's all down to thelies and wrongs that were done at the time."
The former housing law solicitor was struck off by The LawSociety following the outcry, and the pair lost their largefarmhouse in Buckley. They also lived for a while in WestminsterPark in Chester.
"The original reason for getting involved with the media was towarn other people in Britain not to deal with the people we had beeninvolved with in relation to adoption," he continued.
"It was not because we wanted to promote ourselves or wereobsessed with the media."
In early 2009 Judith, 57, married a homeless busker 13 years herjunior. And - in another bizarre twist - she was given away atWrexham Register Office by Alan.
Judith has told the national Press she is pursuing IVF options inItaly, as well as trying to become a reality television star.
A Flintshire County Council spokesman said the authority wasunaware of any action being taken against them by the Kilshaws.
Timeline Judith and Alan Kilshaw . 1999 Alan and Judith Kilshaw,who have two sons together, while Judith has two daughters from aprevious marriage, advertise for an egg donor through the LiverpoolEcho after trying unsuccessfully for a third child.
. January 2001 After scouring the internet for ways to adoptbabies abroad, Alan and Judith meet baby broker Tawana Dancy-Forteand mother of twins Tranda Wecker in California. They pay pounds8,200 for twin baby girls. The babies, however, had already been'sold' to American couple Vickie and Richard Allen for pounds 4,000,who had been looking after the girls for two months. The broker tookthem back and re-sold them to the Kilshaws. The couple bring thebabies back to Flintshire, but they are soon taken away by socialservices.. February 2001 Alan and Judith fly to Chicago to appear onOprah Winfrey's show despite a High Court ruling for them not todiscuss the case.
. April 2001 A Birmingham High Court judge makes an order toreturn the twins to Missouri, where they were born.
. October 2001 The Kilshaws's seven-bedroom house in Buckley isrepossessed, the couple are evicted and move to a Chester bungalow..2002 The couple are declared bankrupt, Alan is struck off as asolicitor and the pair ponder pursuing a career in the musicindustry.
. 2004 The family moves to Killins Lane, Shotton.
. 2006 Alan and Judith plan to give evidence at the trial of TinaJohnson, real name Tawana Dancy-Fort, who arranged the ill-fatedadoption. Ms Johnson was due to stand trial on 10 counts of fraud,but all charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence. TheKilshaws say the trial would have given them the chance to seekresidency in the US - where they wanted to move to the HollywoodHills. The couple split up later in the year.
. 2009 Judith marries new partner Stephen Sillett, a homelessbusker 13 years her junior, and is given away by Alan at Wrexhamregister Office.. 2011 Judith gives an interview to Daily Mailnewspaper stating her intentions to sue Flintshire County Councilfor damages while pursuing IVF options in Italy and trying to becomea reality television star.
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