Sarah Dingle reported this story on Monday, October 8, 2012 12:26:00

ELEANOR HALL: The international custody case involving four Italian sisters who were taken illegally to Australia by their mother and returned to Italy on the weekend has taken another twist.



The father's family says he was injured in a scuffle with the Australian media outside his home where his daughters are staying.



The mother and her supporters now say they're considering a legal challenge in Italy.



Sarah Dingle has the latest.



SARAH DINGLE: The four sisters were flown home over the weekend after fraught struggles with AFP officers who took them to the airport. But their high-profile ordeal didn't end when they left Australia.



Yesterday Australian media, including Channel Nine, turned up to their father's house in Florence and the girls ran outside.



CHANNEL NINE REPORTER: At one point one of the girls grabbed onto my arm, she looked me in the eye, she had tears rolling down her face and she said please, you cannot leave me here, you have to take me away with you.



SARAH DINGLE: Their father's Australian lawyer, Paul Donnelly, says the whole incident wasn't an accident.



PAUL DONNELLY: Apparently one of the older girls had a mobile phone, she made a call to Australia, she received a call back, with that her and her sister then ran out of the front yard of the villa, pleading for the press to help them.



The father I believe, the grandmother and uncle then tried to get the girls back inside, I mean I've seen photos of this, the father is then attacked by members of the press, apparently kicked. I believe he's got a broken hard, possible broken leg, and severe bruising to his right arm.



SARAH DINGLE: The phone call that the girls received from Australia - do you know if that was from the mother?



PAUL DONNELLY: The grandmother.



SARAH DINGLE: And did the father indicate what was said to the girls?



PAUL DONNELLY: Well this again through the interpreter, that the girls were told to go out and put on a, you know, to plead with the press to help them escape.



SARAH DINGLE: So they were told to go out and front the media and make a stand?



PAUL DONNELLY: That's apparently correct, yes.



SARAH DINGLE: And do you know if he will be pressing charges against any of the people that he was involved in the…?



PAUL DONNELLY: I would expect so.



SARAH DINGLE: And do you know where those members of the media were from, were they Italian media?



PAUL DONNELLY: I believe they were Australian media.



SARAH DINGLE: Child psychiatrist Dr Louise Newman says in such custody struggles, what the children need most is stability, and if necessary, to be sheltered from the media.



LOUISE NEWMAN: What we're seeing is the way in which children can become players in this ongoing saga of conflict between parents. Children should not be, if at all possible, embroiled in these sorts of situations, certainly children should not be exposed to media coverage of these sorts of situations and it's a potentially very negative in fact on their psychological wellbeing.



What's sad in these situations is that sometimes the adults involved do not shield the children in the way that would be far more appropriate, and in fact they encourage them.



SARAH DINGLE: Melbourne based Eve is the four sister's great aunt on their mother's side.



EVE: The girls were in the house, they saw that the media were outside and they ran outside and asked them for help.



SARAH DINGLE: Eve says the mother is considering a legal challenge in Italy, but the mother won't be going herself.



EVE: She's looking at all the options possible at this stage and I know she is talking to legal people and there's people, supporters of the girls, who are looking at getting some money together and raising money I think, I assume for legal fees.



Laura certainly can't go to Italy, even though it's been reported as such, there's just too much of a risk that the girls' father will go back on his word and we have no doubt that he will take legal proceedings against Laura.



SARAH DINGLE: Paul Donnelly says the mother currently has equal custody rights in Italy, which would be available to her if she returned.



ELEANOR HALL: Sarah Dingle reporting.