Man charged with kidnap after nine-year-old girl ‘was snatched and dragged into some woods before breaking free’
A MAN has been charged with kidnap after a nine-year-old girl was allegedly grabbed and dragged into a wooded area in broad daylight.
The girl was playing in Pointers Field, off George Pope Road in Norwich, around 4.30pm on Friday when the alleged abduction took place.
She managed to break free and thankfully wasn't injured.
Paul Barton, 32, of no fixed address, has been charged with kidnap and will appear at Norwich Magistrates Court today.
Inspector Nik Hewitt, from Norfolk Police, said: "We are in the early stages of our investigation and while I understand the details of the incident will cause concern among the community, I would like to stress the motive of this attack remains unclear and incidents of this nature are rare in Norfolk."
Police have urged anyone with information to contact the force on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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The abduction comes just days after a teenager was taken off the streets as she walked to school and subjected to a serious sex attack in Oxford.
The 14-year-old was taken by two men and bundled into a silver car in Silvertown on September 28.
Police have since urged children to walk to school in groups following two similar attacks in the local area.
And on Friday, a pupil was allegedly approached by a van driver as they walked to school in North Yorkshire.
In Kent, a school has also warned parents to stay vigilant after police received reports of a driver in a white van acting suspiciously.
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