Brit tourist fights off man trying to kidnap his four-year-old son from Spain hotel
Dad said would-be-abductor struck up a conversation with son before trying to 'violently' pull the tot from the hotel lift
A DAD has spoken of his “terror” after fighting off a man who tried to abduct his four-year-old son from a hotel in Spain.
Shaun Kennedy, 35, said the fellow guest struck up a conversation with his son Chase before attempting to pull the tot from the hotel lift as the doors closed.
Manchester-born Shaun was left with a bloodied face, a swollen hand and a twisted knee after the incident at the Hotel Best Sabinal in Roquetas de Mar on the Costa de Almeria.
While Chase suffered carpet burns on his legs as the would-be-abductor dragged him along a hotel corridor, Shaun told the Manchester Evening News.
He said: “It has really shaken me up and I’m still in shock.”
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“We had all been for lunch and I was taking Chase up for a bit of a nap and a break. Chase and I got in the lift and a man got in at the first level," he added.
“He was black and about 6ft 3ins tall. He was looking at Chase and saying hello. I turned to Chase and asked him if he was going to say hello back and he did.
"I just thought that the man was being nice - nothing more to it.
“Me and Chase were going to the third floor and the man pushed the button for the second floor. The doors opened and as they were shutting he grabbed Chase.
"He grabbed one of Chase’s arms and just seemed to sweep him up out of the lift as the doors were shutting.”
Shaun said the man then tried to drag Chase away by his legs but he followed him and jumped on him before they began to fight again.
“I managed to get him onto the floor and that is when I picked Chase up and just ran away with him.”
He raised the alarm at reception but said police were slow to respond.
Shaun added: “The police didn’t speak a word of English so the hotel receptionist was translating for us. The police just drove around the hotel and that was it. I did not go to the police station. They did not seem interested in what I was saying.”
Shaun added: “I just want to make people aware of it. We have contacted Thomson.”
A Thomson spokesperson said: “These allegations are concerning to hear and we are in direct contact with Mr Kennedy now that he is home. As we understand this is a matter for the authorities in Spain, we aren’t in a position to comment further.”
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