AN ILLEGAL immigrant tried to snatch a teenage girl off the street but was thwarted by passing bus passengers who came to her rescue.
Abdulmawal Ibrahim Adam (corr), 27, from Sudan, grabbed the horrified 17-year-old and dragged her across a road “against her will”.
CCTV footage shows an illegal immigrant tried to snatch a teenage girl off the street but was thwarted by passing bus passengers who came to her rescue[/caption]
CCTV showed the girl approaching a set of traffic lights as Adam ran towards her[/caption]
The brazen attempted kidnapping took place as the girl walked home from work at around 9.30pm in Swindon, Wilts.
CCTV showed the girl approaching a set of traffic lights when Adam ran towards her, grabbed her from behind, and dragged her back across the street.
Luckily, stunned members of the public who witnessed the attack from a bus were able to intervene and stop the young girl from being taken.
He then tried to engage with a second woman until she got away from him, before trying to follow a third.
Witnesses pursued Adam while filming him on their mobile phones and he eventually ran off.
The victim’s mother reported the incident to police later that evening and Adam was arrested and charged with attempted kidnap.
Police said Adam had refused to engage with police and the courts process before entering his guilty plea to attempted kidnap yesterday(Tues).
DC Anna McCormack of the town’s CID said: “This was a terrifying incident for the victim and I would like to pay tribute to her for the strength she has shown throughout the process.
“I’d also like to thank the various members of the public who assisted the victim at the time of the incident who potentially ensured that the incident wasn’t much worse than it was.”
Adam, from Darfur, arrived in the UK illegally in September 2023.
In November the same year he appeared at Canterbury Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to arriving in the country “without valid entry clearance” and was sentenced to seven months.
After completing his sentence, Adam was released from prison.
It is not known if any conditions were attached to his release, or if he is attempting to seek asylum.
The Home Office has been approached for clarification.
Yesterday, His Honour Judge James Townsend, sitting at Swindon Crown Court, told Adam that he was ordering a pre-sentence report in order to “assess the background to his offending” before sentencing him on December 12.
Adam repeatedly refused to engage with lawyers throughout his latest case, leading to lengthy delays and at least eight separate hearings.
On numerous occasions he refused to leave his cell at HM Prison Bullingdon and get on a prison bus to attend court proceedings, with one judge suggesting he was “manipulating the system”.
Dale Sheehan, Senior Crown Prosecutor, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said yesterday: “Abdulmawal Ibrahim Adam preyed on a teenager while she was walking home, putting her through a distressing ordeal after he grabbed her from behind.
“Members of the public stopped to assist the victim, pursued Adam and recorded footage of him. Their actions, alongside supporting evidence, were instrumental in securing the conviction.
“Violence against women and girls will not be tolerated, and the Crown Prosecution Service is committed to ensuring those responsible for such crimes are brought to justice.”
Police said Adam had refused to engage with police and the courts process before entering his guilty plea[/caption]
“Adam preyed on a teenager while she was walking home, putting her through a distressing ordeal after he grabbed her from behind.”[/caption]
Adam repeatedly refused to engage with lawyers throughout his latest case, leading to lengthy delays and at least eight separate hearings[/caption]
