'He tried to drag my daughter away': Mum's terror after stranger approached child, 6, in Northampton town centre

Gemma Hyams, from Welford, said she was walking along Bridge Street with her daughter at about 1.45pm on Monday November 2 when a man approached them from behind and began making small talk.

The 34-year-old said she and her daughter became uncomfortable and started walking away, but the man stepped off the pavement and moved in front of them.

She claims he then grabbed her daughter's hood before attempting to pull the youngster away from her.

Gemma said: “He came up behind me and my daughter and started making small talk.

"He grabbed her hood at first, as if he was trying to play with her, and then he fully tried to drag her off me.

"Instead of trying to fight him, I just thought, oh, I'll scream and cause such a fuss that he'll let her go. And he did. And he just casually walked off."

She said the man had pulled her daughter so hard that her coat rubbed against her neck, leaving a mark.

Gemma said she ran towards the shops near TK Maxx and sat crying until police arrived.

She said: "I just sat there crying until the police came, and I asked them to bring me home because my daughter and I were too scared to walk back into town."

Police confirmed that a 36-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident within 20 minutes and has since been released on police bail while enquiries continue.

However, Gemma is unhappy that the case is being pursued as common assault rather than attempted kidnapping.

She said: "It’s not assault, it’s attempted kidnap. If you try and take a child off their parent, that is attempted kidnap."

The mother said she had been told police could not pursue an attempted kidnapping charge because they "could not prove what the man's intentions had been".

She has also criticised the police response, claiming CCTV footage has not yet been examined and that she has received little contact from officers.

Police deny this to be the case saying investigations have included CCTV reviews and that officers were last in touch with Gemma on November 3.

Gemma said: “I had to contact them myself to get a crime reference number, and we haven’t had a follow-up call to check on our welfare. I just feel deeply let down by the police."

The incident has left the family shaken, with Gemma saying her daughter is now frightened to go into town.

She said: "My daughter will never want to go into town with me again without her dad there because she's petrified.

"I even told her that I was going to go Christmas shopping today, and she's scared for me. She's six years old.

"It has absolutely traumatised our family. Her dad is heartbroken he wasn’t there to keep us safe."

She added: "Our Christmas shopping and going round the shops, things that we've always enjoyed together, are ruined. We can't do that anymore because we don't feel safe.

"We're not even safe to walk on the streets in broad daylight."

Gemma now wants police to review the evidence and reconsider the charges.

She said: "I hope the charges will be increased to attempted kidnap because there is no excuse on this planet that gives this man a reason to try and take my daughter off me."

A Northamptonshire Police spokesman said: “The investigation into this incident remains ongoing.

“Enquiries have included CCTV reviews, and officers are continuing to gather and assess all available evidence.

“The victim's mother was last updated by officers on November 3, when she was advised that enquiries remain ongoing and that, once all available evidence has been obtained and reviewed, a full assessment will be made regarding the most appropriate offence to investigate.

“We appreciate the impact this incident has had on those involved and will continue to maintain contact with the victim's family as the investigation progresses.

“Please quote crime reference number 26000677378 when providing any information.

“Information can be submitted online at www.northants.police.uk/RO, by calling 101, or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”