Kidnap accused denies intent to rape 12-year-old girl as she walked to school in Leeds

Michael Sehannie said he did not have a sexual interest in children when he gave evidence at Leeds Crown Court

The 19-year-old is accused of grabbing the youngster in a bear hug and trying to carry her into bushes as she walked along Old Run Road, Hunslet.

The trial has heard how the man who grabbed the youngster dropped her and ran off when she screamed.

Sehannie told the jury that he did not touch the girl and denied deliberately following her on the morning of April 23 this year.

Sehannie accepted that he was the person on CCTV footage walking closely behind the girl along Moor Road and Old Run Road.

The teenager also accepted that he was the person walking close to two other schoolgirls on the same morning.

He told the court that he had been out walking he did not want to be at home with his partner as they had been having problems in their relationship.The jury has heard Sehannie initially told police he had been at the gym when he was identified as a suspect.

Records from the gym showed that Sehannie had not been at the premises on the day of the incident.

Sehannie told the court heard he had been mistaken when when he gave his initial account to officers about being at the gym.

Defence barrister Andrew Semple asked Sehannie: "Have you got any interest in children sexually?"

Sehannie replied: "No, I definitely do not."

During cross examination, prosecutor Nick Adlington asked Sehannie: "Are you making this up as you go along because you know you are guilty?"

The defendant replied: "No, I am not guilty."

Mr Adlington showed Sehannie a clip of the defendant first walking behind the girl near to Middleton Railway.

He asked: "Were you waiting for the right opportunity?"

Sehannie said: "No."

Mr Adlington continued: "The right victim?"

Sehannie said: "I wasn't waiting for anyone."

The prosecutor then said: "You were walking backwards and forward, backwards and forwards, over the same ground.

"Were you waiting for someone or were you waiting for the opportunity?"

Sehannie said: "None of those."

Later in the exchange, Mr Adlington asked: "What were you going to do with a 12-year-old girl. Rape her?"

Sehannie replied: "No."

Mr Adlington then said: "You weren't going to play Pat-A-Cake were you?"

The teenager replied: "No."

The prosecutor then asked: "If it wasn't you who grabbed hold of her you must, from your vantage point, have seen who did it?"

Sehannie replied: "I did not see any girl get grabbed."

Mr Adlington said: "You have lied to the police and you have lied to this court haven't you?

"You were the man who grabbed hold of (the girl) and tried to drag her in to the bushes aren't you?"

Sehannie said: "No."

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

The trial continues.