A 10-year-old boy is the centre of praise this morning after his brave actions saved his 11-year-old sister from abduction.
The boy clung on to the window of a moving jeep to rescue his sister. His actions were commended at the trial of Michael Martin (pictured), 36, of Shandon Court, Yellow Road, Waterford city. He pleaded guilty to the false imprisonment of the girl.
Garda Anne Marie Deegan told prosecutors that the 11-year-old girl and her brothers, twin 10 year-old boys, were playing at a rural location in Cullohill when they were approached by Martin, driving a jeep. The girl was allegedly “picked up and put into the SUV through the drivers door across the passenger seat”.
When Martin attempted to drive away, the 10-year-old boy reached up and attempted to strike the driver through the driver window. When the vehicle moved he clung to the window with his feet dangling off the ground.
As the vehicle slowed, it seems the girl escaped and began running home, joined by her two brothers. The boys were able to provide police with a partial description of Martin and the vehicle registration.
Martin was arrested the following day when the vehicle was spotted outside Castlecomer.
The court heard Martin has 92 previous convictions ranging from fraud, robbery and a conviction for an assault of a girl, threatening to kill or cause serious harm to a woman and in another incident, false imprisonment.
