Sergejus Paskevicius residing on Orchard Street, Heywood, was sentenced to three years and two months on Friday, 15 September 2023, at Minshull Street Crown Court. He received this sentence for the offence of attempting to abduct a child, thereby removing them from a person’s lawful control.
This conviction followed an incident that occurred on Saturday, 23 July 2022, where Greater Manchester Police responded to reports of an attempted child abduction on Bradshaw Street in Heywood.
Promptly launching an investigation, law enforcement officers apprehended Paskevicius, who is now 61 years old, after reviewing CCTV footage that captured the entire incident.
The shocking event transpired as a parent was seemingly engaged in a routine shopping trip with their two children at an Aldi store in Heywood. While standing in line to pay for their items, Paskevicius was in front of them, finalising his purchase. Afterward, he proceeded to the large shelf near the shop’s front window to pack his bag.
At this moment, the mother briefly left her children at the shelf and walked back towards the cash register. Periodically turning to check on her kids, she noticed Paskevicius engaging with them. A few moments later, to her horror, she witnessed him holding her youngest child, who was just a few years old, close to his chest.
The elder child, in an attempt to free his brother from Paskevicius’s grasp, desperately struggled. Near the front of the store, the elder child managed to bring his brother back to their mother. Paskevicius then exited the shop, seemingly unaffected.
Following an appeal on social media, Paskevicius was identified and subsequently arrested on suspicion of kidnapping. A search of his residence revealed clothing that matched what he was wearing during the attempted abduction.
Detective Sergeant Andrew Whitehill of GMP’s Rochdale district commented on the case, stating, “Paskevicius was a danger to society for his shocking actions but thankfully his intentions didn’t result in anything more serious than a sinister move to abduct a child from their parent. It is arguably every parent’s worst nightmare.”
He further assured the community that dedicated neighbourhood officers and patrols covered the Heywood area, encouraging members with concerns to reach out through the force’s community messaging system, Bee In The Loop.
