Man Poses as Cop to Kidnap 14-Year-Old in Sussex
A chilling case in Crawley, Sussex, has sent shockwaves through the community. In October 2021, a man named Young duped a 14-year-old schoolgirl by pretending to be a police officer. Sporting a yellow hi-vis jacket, he showed her what looked like a police ID badge and coerced her into going with him for a fake stop-and-search.
Fake Police Search Turns into Kidnapping
Young rifled through the girl’s bag, coat, and blazer before finally letting her go. The brave teenager immediately told her mum, who wasted no time contacting the police.
Perpetrator Caught Following High-Speed Collision
The next day, mum and daughter spotted Young cycling nearby and snapped clear photos of him. Shortly after, Young crashed into a car and was seen ditching suspicious items including LED bike lights, a bag with latex gloves, lubricant, and condoms.
Police later recovered these, plus the yellow jacket, plastic handcuffs, a spray can, key, and stab vest from his workplace. The haul paints a dark picture.
Guilty Verdict at Lewes Crown Court
Young pleaded guilty to kidnapping and breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. On March 23, Lewes Crown Court found him guilty of intending to commit a sexual offence.
The Crown Prosecution Service praised the girl’s courage and hopes the guilty verdict brings some solace to her and her family.
