Mum’s baby snatch ordeal

A FRANTIC mother whose baby daughter was snatched while she was upstairs said she feared she would never see her again.

The young mum ran out after seeing the front door ajar and was told by a little girl in the street that a man came out with the 18-month-old child and went into a nearby house. The distraught mother raced to the house in Meldrum Street, Oldham and could see a man inside trying to stop the tot screaming.

In desperation the mother tried the locked front door and yelled at him to let her in. Instead he ran out at the back.

Manchester Crown Court was told the mother ran round to confront him and after a struggle snatched the child back before he ran off.

Police later arrested 27-year-old Michael Keeton on Honeywell Lane, who pleaded guilty to abducting a child.

Defence lawyer Caroline Patrick said Keeton hadn’t explained his actions, but he had claimed to have heard the baby crying and decided to take her to his own home for protection.

Judge Bernard Lever, who will pass sentence on Keeton next month, said: “It must be the horror of every mother that someone may carry off their child. It is fortunate in this case that a young girl was able to direct her. I have never come across anything quite like it. The court has to send out the clearest message to anyone who even thinks of doing something like this.”