Man jailed for kidnapping a toddler in Bolton

A 24-year-old man has been sentenced for kidnapping and injuring an 18-month-old girl in Bolton in February this year.

At 6.30pm on Tuesday 21 February 2023 a mother was walking down Mayor Street with her two children. She was carrying her toddler in her arms.

Martin Enow, who was experiencing a psychotic episode at this time, grabbed the toddler from her mother by the neck and then whilst holding her upside down, he tried to run.

The mother immediately struggled with him, then a passer-by intervened and restrained Enow enabling the mother to get back hold of the child, who was now bleeding heavily from her foot.

Another passer-by stopped her car and got out to assist, leaving her child in the passenger seat. Enow got into the driver seat of that car, but the owner had the keys, so Enow got back out and ran away.

Enow then got into the passenger seat of a taxi stopped at traffic lights at the junction of Spa Road and Mayor Street. He asked the driver to take him to the football stadium, but the taxi driver refused, got out and locked Enow in until police arrived.

The toddler lost her toe during the struggle and required an operation on her foot; she also suffered a broken arm.

Martin Enow pleaded guilty to kidnap and inflicting grievous bodily harm at an earlier hearing and has today been sentenced to four years' imprisonment. 

Garry Crawford, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, said: "This was a terrifying incident which encapsulates every parent's worst nightmare. It is thanks to the quick thinking of the child's mother, the good Samaritans and the taxi driver, that Martin Enow was stopped before any further harm could occur to either the child or himself.

"We understand that Martin Enow was suffering with a mental health condition when he committed this offence. I hope that following the conclusion of the case the child's family will have some sense of closure and that they can now begin to put what happened behind them."