Man, 19, charged with two counts of attempted abduction in Katherine

Police allege a man accused of grabbing and dragging a young girl, who managed to escape, approached a second girl around the same time. See when the alleged offender will face court.

Katherine Police Station. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Updated, August 3: The 19 year-old man arrested for allegedly attempting to kidnap a young girl in Katherine has been charged, with police now alleging a second young girl was also approached in a similar way.

On Thursday, August 1, 2024, the man was arrested by police near an oval along the Stuart Highway, Katherine, after he allegedly grabbed a young girl’s arm and tried to drag her away.

On Saturday morning, police in a statement confirmed the man had since been charged with two counts of attempted abduction and two counts of aggravated assault.

Police allege the man had targeted a second girl around the same time as the first.

Detective Senior Sergeant Michael Ordelman said a “large number” of people had provided footage to police and noted more children may have been allegedly approached by the man.

“Detectives believe there may have been further children approached by this man in the late afternoon of Thursday, 1 August, 2024, around the sports grounds along the Stuart Highway in Katherine,” he said.

“We continue to urge members of the public who have witnessed suspicious behaviour to report any information through to 131 444 and quote reference P24206741.”

The man has been remanded to appear in Darwin Local Court on Tuesday, August 6, 2024.

Man arrested after ‘frightening’ alleged child abduction attempt

Initial, August 2, 2024: Police have arrested a 19-year-old man after he allegedly attempted to kidnap a young girl in Katherine.

The man is alleged to have approached the child as she was walking to the public toilets at an oval along the Stuart Hwy in Katherine, about 6.30pm Thursday.

Police allege he grabbed her arm and attempted to drag her away to another location.

However, she broke away and ran back to her parents to report what had happened.

Police went to the location shortly after and apprehended the 19-year-old man, who they have since taken into custody.

Detective Senior Sergeant Michael Ordelman said detectives were in their initial stages of investigations.

“This was a frightening incident for the young girl and NT Police commend her for running back to known adults and immediately telling them what had happened,” he said.

“Detectives are in the initial stages of investigations and we are urging anyone who was in attendance last night, who has information, to make contact.”

To contact police call 131 444 and quote reference P24206741.

“We believe members of the public may have recorded footage of the man and we are requesting people send that footage through to detectives for evaluation,” Senior Sergeant Ordelman said.

An online portal has been created for members of the public to supply relevant footage.

NT Police encourage parents to teach their children the three Rs of Recognise, React and Report when it comes to strangers.