Teen recounts kidnap claims in court

Preston Crown Court heard the boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was threatened with his life when Lee Wilson allegedly grabbed him and forced him to “go with him.”

The teenager told jurors he had known of the defendant from when the 38-year-old, of Samuel Street, Callon, Preston, had done jobs at the nearby Arlen Boatyard at Ashton Basin in Preston.

Wilson, who denies kidnapping him on July 16, shook his head in the dock as the boy drew a route on a map for jurors to show where he claims he was dragged.

The youngster, who says he was on his way to babysit for a friend, told the court: “I was plugging my headphones in and sorting out music and I saw Mr Wilson in the bushes.

“As I got close to him I was still on my phone choosing a song to play – I looked up and was met by him.

“He grabbed me and told me not to shout and if I did shout he was going to kill me.”

He added: “I didn’t know what to do. I was shaking.

“He just looked unstable, he didn’t look like the Lee that I knew. I tried to move away but he wouldn’t let me – he just started dragging me down the hill towards the canal. He started talking about killing me and killing everyone in the boatyard.”

Earlier in the case, prosecutor Jane Dagnall told the court as the boy was led down nearby streets in Plungington he had recognised a street name as his friend lived there, and managed to loosen from his grip and get to the house before raising the alarm.

But Mohammed Nawaz, defending, asked why he had told police the incident happened at 1pm, when his phone call to them was at 3pm.

(proceeding)