Man who attacked woman and snatched child from pushchair jailed
The assault and abduction happened last year in Boscombe
A man who assaulted a woman and abducted a child in Bournemouth has been jailed.
Matthew Alan Burke, aged 41 and of Christchurch, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court after pleading guilty to offences of kidnap, two counts of breaching a non-molestation order, assault and assault of an emergency worker.
He was sentenced to three years and six months imprisonment for the offences as well as being made subject to a restraining order.
At around 6.45am on Monday 3 July last year a woman who was known to the defendant – and had a non-molestation order in place against Burke – was walking in Sea Road in Boscombe with a two-year-old child in a pushchair.
Burke approached and punched the woman before picking up the child and making off on a push bike.
Officers responded and Burke was located at around 9.20am, initially trying to make off from officers, in company with the child.
Burke was stopped and arrested, with the child unharmed.
At around 6.15pm on Friday 18 August, the same female victim was driving in Castle Lane East and stopped at a junction when a car pulled up alongside her. The defendant got out of the other vehicle and tried to get into the rear of her vehicle.
The woman got out of the car to confront him, at which point it was reported Burke grabbed her phone and threw it across the road. The victim reported that she retrieved it and went to call the police, which led to Burke returning to the other vehicle that then left the scene.
Detective Sergeant Marles, of Bournemouth CID, said: “These incidents involved individuals who were known to each other, with both incidents being witnessed by members of the public.
“We are committed to supporting victims of violent offences and those that are unable to defend themselves, such as those perpetrated against this victim by Matthew Burke.
“We are dedicated to ensuring offenders are held responsible for their actions.”