Man charged with attempted abduction of boy at Hull Fair

A MAN has appeared in court charged with the attempted abduction of a five-year-old boy from Hull Fair.

Daniel Banasik has been accused of trying to snatch the child from his mother during a family trip to the popular attraction.

Mr Banasik, 28, appeared before a district judge at Hull Magistrates' Court yesterday charged with attempting to take a child under 16.

He denies the charge.

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It is said the incident happened shortly after 8pm on Friday.

Speaking to the Mail last night, the boy's father, who cannot be named, said: "It all happened so quickly.

"We want parents to be aware that this kind of thing does happen."

It is understood the boy had been holding his mother's hand as they stood in a crowd at the fair in Walton Street, west Hull.

The boy's grandfather – his mother's father – had joined the family outing.

"I had just gone off to buy him some bubble-gum," said the boy's step-father. "That's all he was bothered about. He wasn't really bothered about going on any of the rides. He just wanted his favourite sweets.

"I went off to a stall to buy them. I was not too far in front of my partner and the boy."

Seconds after the alleged incident, the step-father dialled 999 on his mobile phone.

His step-son did not seem distressed, the man said.

Joanne Markham, defending Mr Banasik, an unemployed cleaner, said he denies the charge against him.

She told the court: "He accepts he was at Hull Fair on the night in question.

"At that time of night, Walton Street was very busy. He was trying to leave the fair. He accepts touching a child to move him out of the way to get out of Walton Street.

"It's worthy of note that the child was actually holding his mother's hand. He was not lost.

"There is no suggestion of any running on my client's part."

Mr Banasik, of Pendrill Street, west Hull, has no previous convictions.

He was refused bail and will appear again at Hull Magistrates' Court on Monday for a pre-committal hearing.