A 24-year-old, Lewis Jones, has been sentenced to life in prison for the violent kidnapping and attempted rape of a six-year-old girl in Greater Manchester.

The horrific incident took place last August in Droylsden, Tameside, where the victim was building a den with friends. Jones, who had been secretly taking pictures of the children, snatched the girl and dragged her into nearby woods, where he subjected her to a brutal 30-minute assault.

The court heard that Jones threatened the child, telling her she would never see her parents again if she made a sound. He sexually assaulted her, causing her to bleed and lose a tooth. He also took pictures of her during the attack.

Jones only released the girl after her family began searching for her, alerted by an 11-year-old who witnessed the kidnapping. The girl, covered in blood and screaming for help, was found alone on a footpath.

Jones fled the scene and shared explicit images of the assault with a former girlfriend. He was later identified by CCTV footage and apprehended by police.

Despite the gravity of his crimes, Jones showed no remorse and was sentenced to a minimum of 12 years in prison. The presiding judge emphasized that Jones' lack of remorse was a significant factor in the sentencing.

The victim's mother, in a powerful victim impact statement, described the devastating impact the attack had on her family. She said she couldn't believe someone would take her daughter and assault her so brutally.