A 25-year-old man has been jailed for 27 months for attempting to kidnap a teenage girl at one of Britain's busiest railway stations.
Osman Moalem was found guilty of the attempted abduction of a 19-year-old woman at Liverpool Lime Street station last October.
The brazen attack occurred on October 28 while his victim waited for friends at the station.
Liverpool Crown Court heard how Moalem approached the young woman and attempted to forcibly remove her from the crowded terminal.
Liverpool Crown Court heard how Moalem approached the young woman and attempted to forcibly remove her from the station
BTP
The conviction follows what British Transport Police described as a terrifying ordeal - captured entirely on the station's security cameras.
CCTV footage revealed the disturbing sequence of events that unfolded at the station.
After approaching the victim and muttering something incomprehensible, Moalem seized the teenager's arm when she stepped away from him.
The security cameras captured him attempting to drag the screaming girl away from the crowd.
Despite her repeated shouts demanding he release her, Moalem persisted in pulling her towards him.
The victim struggled desperately to free herself from his grasp.
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PICTURED: Osman Moalem tries to kidnap a teenager at Liverpool Lime Street
BTP
Even as her cries for help drew attention from other passengers in the busy terminal, vile Moalem continued his attempts to forcibly remove her from the station.
An elderly couple eventually intervened when they witnessed the assault, threatening to contact police.
But rather than releasing his victim, Moalem smirked at the bystanders and continued his efforts to drag the teenager away.
When the young woman finally managed to break free from his grasp, Moalem pursued her into the station.
His brazen behaviour came to an abrupt end when British Transport Police officers arrested him just minutes later.
The officers apprehended Moalem whilst he waited for a train, bringing his kidnapping attempt to a swift conclusion.
PICTURED: Moalem's mugshot - the 25-year-old has been jailed for 27 months
BTP
DC Olivia Hill, the investigating officer, condemned Moalem's actions and his subsequent denials.
"Despite crystal clear CCTV footage of the attempted kidnapping, Moalem had the audacity to deny it and has shown no remorse for his actions throughout the investigation," she said.
"I know how terrifying this was for the victim and she's bravely supported the investigation throughout. I hope that now that Moalem is behind bars she can continue to make progress with her recovery.
"Thankfully we police a CCTV-rich environment and the quality of the footage, along with the victim's testimony, was invaluable in securing Moalem's conviction."
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