A man will face court today charged over an alleged kidnapping attempt at Marketown in Newcastle West yesterday afternoon.
Police were called to the Steel Street shopping centre, just after 5pm, after reports a man approached a two-year-old boy.
The child was with his father when an unknown man allegedly approached them and asked if he could talk to the boy.
Police say the man then hugged the child, before trying to pull him away from his father.
The father pulled the child back, before the alleged perpetrator became aggressive and continued to grab the boy.
With help from passersby, the two-year-old was returned to his father, and the man was restrained until police arrived.
The father and son were not hurt during the incident.
A 46-year-old Fletcher man was arrested and later charged at Newcastle Police Station.
He’ll appear at Newcastle Local Court today.
