Would-be baby abductor escapes jail (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Would-be baby abductor escapes jail

12:06pm Tuesday 29th May 2007 in Swindon By Gazette Reporter

A 43-year-old man who tried to abduct a baby after a night out drinking has walked free from court.

Steven Wells climbed onto a flat roof to get through a window in his bid to snatch the young daughter of a friend.

But he was caught after the child's father, who had custody of the youngster, locked the intruder into the flat during the night time raid.

Nick O'Brien, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court that on Thursday, August 17 last year Wells had been drinking heavily with the seven-month-old girl's mum.

She decided she wanted her child back and went towards the home of her former partner but got involved in an altercation on the way.

When Wells saw her soon after he assumed the baby's father had attacked her, even though she told him he had not.

"You can't play with babies like that, it is dangerous. Let's hope she remembers nothing of it."

Record Stewart Wells QC

Wells then went to the home of his pal's former boyfriend and climbed in through a first floor window as the resident was getting ready for bed.

In the melee that followed the baby's father locked both of them in the flat and the police were called.

When he was questioned Wells admitted he had gone into the property with the intention of taking the child and returning her to her mother.

Wells, of Crawford Close, Freshbrook, pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted child abduction.

The court heard he had a history of offending for assault and public order offences and he tried to change his plea saying his confession was unsafe as he had a condition which meant bright light affected him.

Charles Ward-Jackson, defending, said as well as scotopic sensitivity his client also suffered from epilepsy.

As a result half of the strip lights in the court room were turned off and Wells wore dark glasses in the dock.

Mr Ward-Jackson said that while the attempted abduction of a child was always serious his client never laid a finger on the girl during the offence.

Passing sentence Recorder Stewart Wells QC said: "This was no way to try to solve what was in fact some sort of domestic incident involving a small child.

"You can't play with babies like that, it is dangerous. Let's hope she remembers nothing of it."

He imposed a nine-month jail term suspended for two years and imposed a 12pm to 7am curfew for six months.