King's Lynn attempted child abductor risks 'ignored'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-43162159

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Prosecutors ignored risks about a man who attempted to abduct an eight-year-old girl, a judge has said.

Matthew Reid, 59, admitted an attempted abduction in King's Lynn, Norfolk and to outraging public decency at a previous hearing.

He was sentenced to a two-year community order at Norwich Crown Court earlier.

Sentencing him, Judge Andrew Shaw said homeless Reid was a "very troubling individual".

"Young children are at significant risk from you," he added.

"The CPS appear to me to have ignored these risks and allowed you to plead guilty to a handful of minor and technical offences."

Rehabilitation

Norwich Crown Court heard Reid grabbed the child's hand and said "you're coming with me", and was later found by police with his trousers round his ankles.

His barrister, Matthew McNiff, said Reid claimed he was "going for a pee".

Reid was also sentenced for separate offences in Hunstanton, after admitting the theft of a girl's clothing from a washing line and for an incident involving chickens.

Judge Shaw ordered Reid to complete 60 days of rehabilitation activities, and ordered him to report to the probation office in King's Lynn on Friday.