A convicted murderer kidnapped a teenage girl, held her hostage and sexually abusing her before police found her tied up in a hotel car park.
Paul Sharpe, from Stockport, was discovered with the 15-year-old at a hotel car park in Knutsford, Cheshire. Sharpe, of Yates Street, Portwood, pleaded guilty to kidnapping, committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence, sexual assault, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, threatening another with a bladed article, and administering a noxious thing with intent to injure, aggrieve or annoy, at Minshull Street Crown Court yesterday (July 3). He is due to be sentenced on September 4.
The 56-year-old threatened the youngster with a knife, put her in a headlock and forced her into his car on Bradgate Road, in Altrincham, at around 7.30pm on May 18.
Claiming that her father owed him money, he drove to a Manchester Airport car park and tied up her wrists and ankles with a necktie.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) says that over the next few hours, Sharpe drove to different car parks in the surrounding area. He forced her to drink alcohol, sexually assaulted her and at one point, masturbated while touching her feet.
Sharpe was finally stopped when police found the pair in his car at a Knutsford hotel car park. The girl had been reported as missing to police by her mother, before CCTV allowed officers to identify Sharpe's car.
He was arrested, and during interview said "he had been feeling bad and so he kidnapped the girl thinking it would be easier than kidnapping an adult", according to the CPS.
Hannah Gee, senior Crown prosecutor for the North West, said: "Paul Sharpe, a convicted murderer, kidnapped an innocent girl at knifepoint in broad daylight. In this terrifying incident, the victim was held captive for eight hours while Sharpe forced her to drink alcohol and sexually assaulted her.
"Sharpe gave no thought to the impact his actions, for his own depraved reasons, would have on his victim. Although his guilty pleas today have spared her from the ordeal of a trial, I would like to thank the girl, and her family, for supporting this prosecution and ensuring this dangerous offender is back where he belongs."
