A kidnapper who tried to snatch a 17-year-old girl off the street is facing jail.
Abdulmawal Ibrahim Adam, 27, grabbed the terrified teenager and dragged her across a road in Swindon, Wiltshire, at around 9.30pm on March 6.
He initially approached the girl in Princes Street near Fleming Way as she was walking home from work.
Adam continued following the teenager despite her ignoring his attempts to chat with her and then waving down passing cars for help in getting away from him.
Chilling CCTV footage shows Adam physically grabbing hold of the girl and dragging her across the street as she tried to cross at a set of lights.
Luckily, bus passengers watching the attempted abduction while waiting at the same set of lights leapt off and intervened.
Adam fled down Princes Street and brazenly tried engaging another woman in unwanted conversation before attempting to follow her too.
She also managed to escape. He then tried to follow a third woman, who had witnessed the initial kidnap attempt, before stunned onlookers again stepped in.
The teenager’s mum reported the terrifying incident to police later that evening and Adam was eventually tracked down and arrested.
He was charged with attempted kidnapping and pleaded guilty to that offence at Swindon Crown Court yesterday.
Adam, from Sudan but registered at an address in Swindon, is due to be sentenced on December 12.
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Detective Constable Anna McCormack said: ‘This was a terrifying incident for the victim, and I appreciate the significant impact this will have on the victim moving forward.
‘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.
‘Following the reporting of the incident to the police, it was taken incredibly seriously, and Adam was charged and remanded into custody following a swift investigation.
‘I’m pleased he has now pleaded guilty and been remanded into custody ahead of sentencing.’
Dale Sheehan, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: ‘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.
‘Everyone has the right to feel safe and be safe within our community. 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.’
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