Hunslet schoolgirl kidnap trial: Jury retires to consider verdict

A court has heard how the youngster was snatched in the street as she walked along Old Run Road, Hunslet, on April 23 this year.

Leeds Crown Court has heard how the man dropped the girl and ran off when she began screaming.Michael Sehannie denies one charge of kidnapping.

During the trial, which began on Monday, prosecutor Nick Adlington said the girl left her home at 8.45am in her school uniform and noticed a man walking closely behind her.

Jurors were told the girl was attacked near to an underpass below the M621 motorway.

The prosecutor said: "There is a bus stop in this area.

"As she reached the bus stop, taking advantage of the darker conditions, the defendant came closer behind her.

"He grabbed (the girl) around the waist and picked her up so her feet were barely touching the floor.

"The defendant carried her across the road towards bushes on the other side of the road.

"Not surprisingly, you may think, (the girl) screamed, terrified at what was happening to her.

"The defendant dropped her and ran off into the bushes he had been taking her towards.

"This act amounted to kidnapping, albeit for a very short time."

The incident was witnessed by people driving in the area.

A woman also saw the incident as she was driving with her daughter to a hospital appointment.

The women stopped to find the girl crying and shaking.

The girl got into the car with the women and they drove after the suspect.

One of the women took video footage of the man as he walked along.

A 15-year-old girl later told police how she had also been followed by a man in the same area earlier that morning.

The jury was shown CCTV clips from the area of the suspect walking close to the two girls.

Sehannie's partner contacted police after recognising pictures of him when they were posted on social media in a bid to trace the suspected abductor. The defendant told officers he had been in the area around the time of the incident but denied committing an offence.

Sehannie said he went to Pure Gym in Hunslet before going to Morrisons supermarket and then going home.

In another interview a day later, officers showed Sehannie a log from Pure Gym which showed he had not been there on the morning of the incident.

Sehannie gave evidence at the trial in which he denied having any sexual interest in children.Sehannie told the court heard he had been mistaken when he gave his initial account to officers about being at the gym.

During cross-examination, Mr Adlington asked Sehannie: "What were you going to do with a 12-year-old girl. Rape her?"

Sehannie replied: "No."

Sehannie, of St Luke's Road, Beeston, Leeds, pleads not guilty to kidnapping.