The tranquility of the city of Perpignan was undermined on Wednesday January 24, 2024 because of an event that could have been tragic: the attempted kidnapping of an 11-year-old girl in Saleilles, located a few kilometers south- east of Perpignan. Local authorities and the public prosecutor revealed the details of this story which could have taken a dramatic turn in a press release released by The Parisian And France Blue. Around 7:15 a.m., while waiting for her school bus like every morning, the young girl was approached by a 40-year-old man. Unknown to the victim, the man offered to take him to school rather than stay at the bus stop. Faced with the girl’s categorical refusal, he tried to convince her for many minutes. And that’s what will probably save his life. A woman, witnessing the scene, understands that something is wrong. She then decides to intervene. Her quick and determined reaction managed to scare away the attacker, saving the 11-year-old girl from the worst. The Perpignan public prosecutor, Jean-David Cavaillé, underlined in the said press release the importance of the action of this passerby.
A rapid and necessary intervention
Quickly alerted by the local gendarmes, the authorities immediately mobilized significant resources to identify and arrest the man suspected of this attempted kidnapping. Investigations also revealed “reconciliations” with similar incidents. Finally, it is Thursday February 1, 2024 that the 40 year old man, born in 1984 will be arrested as noted The Parisian And France Blue. The charges against him are serious, including the arrest and kidnapping of a 15-year-old minor, violence with Total Incapacity for Work (ITT) of less than 8 days aggravated by three circumstances, sexual assault on a minor of 15 years by an adult with an age difference of at least 5 years, as well as attempted sexual assault. The suspect was already known to the police for a conviction related to a traffic ticket. Faced with the seriousness of the charges, the prosecutor requested his placement in pre-trial detention as a matter of urgency to protect society against a clearly dangerous individual.