To think this can’t possibly be true

[4seasons]

I am prepared to be told I’m wrong as I have no legal knowledge!
My daughter’s friend divorced her American husband for repeated cheating. They have a son who lives with the friend. The Ex husband now lives in America and has remarried. Up until very recently he’s earned a very high salary but has been fired . He has used their son , access , money etc to control his ex wife for years and takes her to court under any pretext. He has even demanded she flies her son to various places he works in the world , promises to pay for flights ... then doesn’t ! He’s now refused to pay child support . My daughters friend has a good job and has always worked FT .
He’s now refusing to pay child maintenance. My daughter is under the impression that if her friend refuses to pay for flights to America for her son she is at risk of going to prison. Her ex will definitely take her to court ... again.
This surely can’t be true re prison .. can it ? Anyone know what she can do or if indeed this prison stuff is true ?

Not my area of law, but refusing to pay for flights for your child to visit a NRP abroad is not a criminal offence! Don’t know where your daughter got the idea that it is!

What nationality do the children have and where were they born? I’m no legal expert but if they are British, and he left the uk, then I’m fairly sure he can’t make any sort of demand. How ever I’m also fairly sure that she can pursue maintenance from him.

Not a legal expert but I would not have thought that it down to your friend to pay for flights. From experience, my ExH tried to make me buy train tickets for my DC to go to visit him out of the maintenance he paid (£5 per week for 3 DC). I work but I don't earn a fortune and it was beyond me. The judge told ExH to either buy the DC tickets or to buy himself a ticket and come see them.