A Sudanese migrant who tried to kidnap a teenage girl off the street has been jailed for more than four years.
Abdulmawal Ibrahim Adam, 28, was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on Friday after admitting to the crime.
He was jailed for four years and one month and will then serve a further two years and eleven months on licence.
In March, Adam tried to engage with the terrified 17-year-old girl multiple times and when she crossed the road he ran towards her before grabbing her and violently dragging her back.
Luckily, heroic members of the public waiting at a bus stop, witnessed the attack and raced to intervene – stopping her from being snatched.
Adam then ran off and tried to follow two other women, he was once again stopped by onlookers and ran off after witnesses pursued the Sudanese national while filming him.
In a moving Victim Personal Statement, the victim said: ‘I remember how I was before this happened. It was like I wasn’t even aware that bad things could happen in the world, and I felt confident in myself to walk out the house every day at any time of day or night.
‘I remember not being afraid to be outside or to constantly think about people’s intentions around me while in public.
‘I never would have believed this had happened to me and I never fully connected myself to when women say they don’t feel safe to walk at night, but I understand now.’
She continued: ‘I hope you learn how to be a good person.
‘Most of all I hope you get locked up because I know if you were out in the world, I wouldn’t feel safe and I’d worry you’d do this again to another young girl.
‘Worry that if you do this to another girl who isn’t able to get away, like I was, then she’d have a worse fate.
‘The world has too many people like you. Although you are one of many, the world gets a little safer with every person locked away.
‘You’d be doing the world a favour by being locked up from all the good, genuine, innocent people of the world. Young girls, women, sisters, best friends, girlfriends, daughters, will be just that little bit safer with you away.’
Police congratulated the ‘bravery’ of the victim and members of the public who helped intervene.
Investigating officer DC Anna McCormack from Swindon CID said: ‘I’d like to again pay tribute to the victim for the immense bravery and strength she has shown throughout this process, and to thank the members of the public who intervened to stop this incident potentially being far worse than it was.
‘Adam displayed predatory behaviour towards a number of women, firstly the victim in this case, then another woman passing by, and finally towards a witness to his attempted kidnap.
‘This is completely unacceptable, and it is cases like this that have led to our focus on initiatives like Project Vigilant.
‘Project Vigilant is about tackling violence against women and girls and involves intelligence-led patrols of hotspot locations to identify potential sexual predators and prevent violence before it occurs.
‘It is about focusing on offenders’ behaviours, and challenging ‘red flag’ behaviour so women and girls can go about their daily tasks – like walking home from work – without fear or the need to change their behaviour.
‘I hope the conviction and today’s sentencing of Adam shows how seriously we take these offences and that there is no place for it in Wiltshire.’
