Student speaks of terror of alleged attempted abduction in Melbourne’s CBD

Police have arrested a man over a “terrifying” alleged abduction attempt in Melbourne’s CBD, that left a 14-year-old schoolgirl too afraid to leave her home.

The victim of the attempted abduction with her mother outside police headquarters in Melbourne. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Police have arrested a man over a “terrifying” alleged abduction attempt that left a 14-year-old schoolgirl too afraid to leave her home.

A 37-year-old Thornbury man handed himself into police on Thursday following calls from the girl and her mother for the unknown man and his female friend to come forward.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said he was interviewed and released “pending further enquiries” that same evening.

The year nine student was walking with classmates while on an excursion to Hosier Lane when the man and woman approached her at 10.30am on November 15.

The teen earlier this week revealed her ordeal, saying it had left her afraid of leaving her home and talking to strangers.

The year nine student was walking with classmates while on an excursion to Hosier Lane when a man and woman allegedly approached her at 10.30am on November 15.

“(At first), we were confused and we didn’t think much of it but he stayed and kept talking to us,” the girl said.

The man then allegedly tried to drag her through the laneway before a “heroic” bystander pretended to be a teacher and intervened.

“I wasn’t really aware of what was going on at first and I didn’t think much of it until he grabbed my arm,” she said.

“Then all I could think about was how hard he was holding on to me, and that’s when the young man tried to get us out.”

The student was attacked while on an excursion in Hosier Lane. Picture: AAP

The young student said he left her arm in pain after grabbing it with force during his attempt to pull her away from her friends.

She said the alleged offender referred to the woman accompanying him as “his princess”.

“Then he stuck his head in my face, and was talking about how only his “princess” could touch his hair,” she said.

“He started to talk about how I was very pretty. Then he grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to him.

“I was just trying to get out.”

The man and woman ran out of Hosier Lane through Flinders Lane and Russell St.

The students then fled the laneway to a nearby restaurant, where the girl said she processed what had happened.

Police hope this man and woman can help with their investigation. Picture: Victoria Police

“I was very relieved and I just burst out into tears because I had just realised what had gone on,” she said.

“I called her (mum) and then that’s when I broke down in tears again and realised how bad that situation was.”

The girl and her group of friends were left unsupervised to undertake the excursion which involved exploring CBD landmarks, a common outing for high school students, when the attack unfolded.

It is understood that teachers from the school were about two blocks away at the time.

The mother of the 14-year-old said it was “horrific” to learn that someone had tried to abduct her daughter while she was just minutes away at her workplace in the city.

“She was hysterical at that point,” she said.

The girl’s mother thanked the quick-thinking man believed to be aged in his 20s who impersonated one of her daughter’s teachers.

“If not for him, we don’t know what the outcome could have been to her or her friends that she was with,” she said.

“This is why we’ve come forward because if this person is still out there doing these things, it’s not it’s not appropriate.

“I’m very grateful for the bystander that actually did maybe because she was so young.

CCTV captures the man and woman around the time of the attempted abduction. Picture: Victoria Police

The girl said the incident has played on her mind in the month since it occurred, and has left her fearful to travel without older and trustworthy companions.

“I feel scared when I see people who could potentially come up to me and do those things, just strangers in the street,” she said.

“I don’t really want to go out into places when I'm not with older people that can protect me.”

It is understood the man may have been drug or alcohol-affected.

Detective Senior Constable Joshua Guy of the Melbourne Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team (SOCIT) said the pair were yet to be identified.

“It’s predatory behaviour on a Melbourne street at 10.30am in the morning,” he said.

“A lot of school groups will go there and take photos and look at artwork in that area.”

Detective Guy said police would be ramping up patrols around Hosier Lane following the reported incident but reassured the community the area remained safe for visitors.

“This is an isolated incident. We’re doing everything we possibly can to ensure that this person is brought to justice,” he said.

“There’s no reason people should avoid those laneways.”

The alleged male offender is believed to have dark-coloured skin and a slim build.

He was wearing black sunglasses, dark-coloured long pants, a dark-coloured hoodie with a red hood, black shoes with white soles and was carrying a black backpack and black bum bag.

The woman is believed to be of Asian descent with a solid build and long black hair.

The man was on Thursday assisting police with their inquiries.