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Newcastle Primark kidnap teenagers sentenced | Newcastle Primark kidnap teenagers sentenced |
(35 minutes later) | |
Two girls who kidnapped a toddler from a Primark store have been detained for three years and three months. | |
The two-year-old was found an hour and 45 minutes later after she was tracked via CCTV cameras to a park about three miles away from the Newcastle store. | |
Sentencing the pair, aged 13 and 14, the judge at Newcastle Crown Court referred to internet searches on a tablet belonging to the younger girl. | |
These related to topics including children having sex, rape and slavery. | |
Mr Justice Globe said although the child came to "no actual harm", there had been intent, planning and enticement. | |
Read more about this story on BBC Local Live | Read more about this story on BBC Local Live |
Just before the kidnap, in April, the teenagers, from Tyneside, had shoplifted dummies, baby milk and a bottle. They cannot be named due to their age. | |
The girls were initially charged with kidnap with the intention of committing a sexual offence but this was dropped after the prosecution accepted a plea to the alternative charge of kidnap. | |
'Psychological harm' | 'Psychological harm' |
The judge said the two girls put forward different accounts of the incident, but neither had explained to his satisfaction what actually happened. | |
He said their accounts "produce more questions than answers", and rejected the proposition they had taken the child "for no reason... with no specific intent". | He said their accounts "produce more questions than answers", and rejected the proposition they had taken the child "for no reason... with no specific intent". |
"I bear in mind no physical harm was caused," he said. | "I bear in mind no physical harm was caused," he said. |
"However, the extensive psychological harm to her mother was devastating. She won't let her daughter out if her sight and won't let her go to nursery," | "However, the extensive psychological harm to her mother was devastating. She won't let her daughter out if her sight and won't let her go to nursery," |
He added that it was clear that some aspect of physical or sexual harm or exploitation would have been carried out if the toddler had not been rescued swiftly. | |
"It was the true reason as to why she was taken. Her [the mother's] fears are well founded." | "It was the true reason as to why she was taken. Her [the mother's] fears are well founded." |
Mr Justice Globe said the guidelines recommended a five-year sentence and he deducted one third of this because the girls had pleaded guilty. | |
The initial sentences were three years and four months, but the judge later took off a month after hearing the teenagers had been subject to a curfew since their guilty plea in June. |