Illegal migrant caught on camera trying to kidnap girl, 17, as she walked home

The attempted kidnapping occurred as the girl was walking home from work about 9.30pm in Swindon, Wilts.

CCTV footage showed the girl approached a set of traffic lights when Adam ran towards her.

He grabbed her from behind then dragged her back across the street.

Stunned members of the public, witnessing the attack from a bus, intervened and stopped the young girl from being kidnapped.

Adam then attempted to speak with a second woman until she managed to get away from him.

He then tried to follow a third.

Adam was pursued by witnesses, who filmed him, before he ran off.

The incident was reported to police by the victim's mother later that evening and Adam was arrested and charged with attempted kidnap.

Police said the illegal migrant had refused to speak with officers or engage with the court process before entering his guilty plea on Tuesday.

The town's Criminal Investigation Department's DC Anna McCormack said it was a "terrifying incident for the victim".

"I would like to pay tribute to her for the strength she has shown throughout the process," she added.

"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."

The 27-year-old Sudanese national arrived in the UK illegally in September 2023.

In November of the same year he appeared before Canterbury Crown Court, pleading guilty to arriving in the country "without valid entry clearance" and sentenced to seven months.

Once he finished his sentence, Adam was released from prison.

According to The Sun, it is unclear if there were any conditions upon his release or whether he is attempting to seek asylum.

Judge James Townsend, sitting at Swindon Crown Court, told Adam he was ordering a pre-sentence report to "assess the background to his offending" before his sentence in December.

During his latest case, Adam refused to engage with lawyers which led to lengthy delays.

He refused to leave his cell on multiple occasions and get on a bus from HM Prison Bullingdon to be taken to court.

One judge had suggested he was "manipulating the system".

Senior Crown Prosecutor Dale Sheehan said earlier this week that Adam "preyed on a teenager while she was walking home" and he had put her through a distressing ordeal after grabbing her from behind.

"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," he said.

A spokesman for the Home Office said: "When foreign nationals commit serious crimes in our country, we will always do everything in our power to deport them".