Hull Fair child abduction trial: 'I only went to see the rides', says accused

A MAN accused of trying to abduct a child from Hull Fair has told a court he had only gone to look at the fairground rides.

Daniel Banasik, 28, is on trial at Hull Crown Court charged with attempted child abduction.

He has been accused of walking behind the five-year-old boy and picking him up as the child held his mother's hand.

The mother has already told the court she clung on to her son's hand and grabbed on to his leg to pull him back from the man.

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Giving evidence in his defence at court yesterday, Mr Banasik denied attempting to take the child.

He said: "I wanted to see what carousels were there. I had only been there for five minutes. We were just going to the shop.

"I never did anything like that."

The court heard the boy's father followed Mr Banasik until the police arrived to arrest him.

In cross-examination, prosecutor Nigel Clive put it to Mr Banasik: "The truth is you had no innocent reason to be there, you were trying to take a child.

"You were part of a plan that involved others to try to abduct a small boy.

"Before picking up the boy, you intimated to your friends that you had spotted your target and it was about to happen by patting him on the back.

"After your failed attempt to take the boy from his mother, you went down an alleyway to tell the people it had failed. Did you deliberately target a boy near that passageway so it could be taken away from the crowd easily?"

Mr Banasik replied: "I didn't want to take anybody. I didn't chose anybody. I didn't target anybody.

"I didn't indicate anything to anyone. I didn't pick anyone up."

He told the police he only visited the fair for minutes to look at the carousels.

In his police interview, he denied any sexual interest in children.

The court heard he collected soft toys and Mr Banasik claimed the plastic toys found in his bag were for his collection.

Mr Clive suggested: "The toys were there to pacify the child once you had got it away from its parents.

"You have a soft toy collection, there are no plastic figures in it."

Mr Banasik claimed he was going to put the plastic toys on top of his wardrobe.

The incident happened at 8.10pm on October 12 last year at Hull Fair.

Mr Banasik, who told the jury had come to the UK seven years ago from Poland. was arrested at the junction of Anlaby Road, west Hull, by the police.

The court heard a second man was arrested but no further action was taken against him.

Mr Banasik, of Pendrill Street, west Hull, denies the charge and the trial continues.