A MAN snatched a child off the street – leading her into bushes to attack her – as she walked to the shops to buy food for her pet rabbit.
Peter Carroll, 52, grabbed the girl, placed a hand on her shoulder and took her into the bushes after claiming he knew her parents.
Her screams alerted holidaymakers, who tried to catch Carroll as the 10-year-old girl escaped his clutches.
Distraught, she still went to the shop to buy the pet food before returning home to tell her parents about her ordeal.
Police eventually spotted Carroll on CCTV in Bridlington town centre.
Now, Carroll, of Batley, has been convicted of kidnapping, intent to commit a sex act and incitement during the attack in Hilderthorpe Road after a jury took just 20 minutes to return unanimous guilty verdicts.
The girl told Hull Crown Court: "I was going to get some rabbit food for my mum.
"He told me to follow him because he knew my dad. I'd never seen him before. He just put his arm around me and said 'follow me'.
"It was disgusting, I just ran away. "I said, 'Leave me alone'.
"I went home and fed my rabbit and then I told my mum. I was really scared and shocked."
The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told police the abductor was bald, had a beard and was wearing a distinctive green T-shirt on.
He was still wearing the T-shirt when he was caught, sitting on a bench around an hour after the abduction in July.
He claimed the girl followed him along a footpath near the train station.
Adjourning the case for reports, Judge Simon Jack told Carroll he wanted to assess the risk he poses to children.
Carroll has been ordered to sign the sex offenders register and will return to court for sentencing next month.
Detective Constable Steve Bowley said: "It is quite rare in our area for this to happen. He was quite sophisticated the way he met the girl, he spoke to her, befriended her and took her away.
"I can only praise the girl's bravery for running away.
"I wouldn't like to think what could have happened if she hadn't."
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