Teen found guilty of kidnapping 12-year-old girl as she walked to school in Leeds

A judge told a teenager he believed he intended to commit a serious sexual offence on a 12-year-old girl after was found guilty of kidnapping her.

Michael Sehannie snatched the youngster in the street as she walked to school along Old Run Road, Hunslet, on April 23 this year.

Sehannie was unanimously found guilty today (Friday) after a four-day trial at Leeds Crown Court.The jury of six women and six men heard Sehannie spent hours loitering in the area following girls as they made their way to school before selecting his victim.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

CCTV footage showed the 19-year-old following the girl along Moor Road and onto Old Run Road.

The attack took place out of view of cameras but Sehannie was filmed running away a short time later.

Witnesses to the abduction went to help the victim.

Sehannie, of St Luke's Road, Beeston, was followed by two women who saw the attack and filmed him as he fled through a park.

After the verdict, Judge Christopher Batty said he wanted a psychologist's report to consider Sehannie's 'psychological make-up' before sentencing.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: "I take the view that this was a kidnapping with intent to commit a very serious sexual offence."

The judge told Sehannie: "I am very troubled by this case.

"For four hours you loitered in the vicinity of where you knew young girls were going to school.

"On at least three occasions young girls were followed with a view to you snatching them from the street.

"On the final occasion occasion of course, you did.

"I am satisfied that you did so with an intention to sexually assault her and I am very troubled by that. I want to know more about you."

The case was adjourned until November 18.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

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

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.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"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.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

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.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

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.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

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."