Man who allegedly tried to abduct girls denied he was a '˜paedo'

A man who allegedly tried to abduct two little girls denied he was a 'paedo' as he was being restrained by two '˜concerned' men, a court heard.
The High Court in EdinburghThe High Court in Edinburgh
The High Court in Edinburgh

A 17-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told a jury today (Tuesday) how he and a man called Viper MacDonald (49), physically restrained a male in Glenburn Road, Falkirk, in May 2017.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard the teenager say that he and Mr MacDonald saw the man near a stretch of woodland walking with two 10-year-old schoolkids, who also cannot be named.

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The court heard that the two men approached the male and asked the little girls if they knew the identity of the person they were with.

Jurors heard that when the little girls said they didn’t know the man who they were with, the two men told them to go to a nearby house.

The court heard that the three men then started struggling with each other.

The teenager told prosecution lawyer Bernard Ablett that the man he was struggling with punched him.

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He added: “He got more aggressive, shouting at us to mind our business.

“We thought he was going to take the little girls and harm them.

“He kept trying to run away, kept struggling. He punched me and we wrestled for a little bit until the police arrived.”

The teenager was giving evidence on the third day of proceedings against Mr Bermingham, whose address has been given in legal papers as being a prisoner of HMP Barlinnie.

He denies two charges of attempted abduction and assault.

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On Tuesday, the teenager told the jury that he was concerned when he saw the man with the two little girls.

He had gone to help Mr MacDonald who became concerned for the two children.

He said: “We thought something was going to happen. I was concerned that something bad could happen to them if they continued walking with him.”

The teenager also told the court that as the man denied doing anything wrong as he was being restrained.

The teenager added: “He said ‘I’m no paedo’.”

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The court also heard from the father of the alleged victims.

The man, who also cannot be named for legal reasons, said he went to Glenburn Road in Falkirk after being told about the alleged attempted abduction bid.

The 29-year-old father told the court that he saw Viper MacDonald restraining a man on the ground.

The jury heard that the dad spoke to the police following the incident.

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He told officers that he didn’t know very much but he said the man who was being restrained was talking to onlookers.

The dad’s police statement was read out in court. The dad told officers that the man said: “I haven’t done anything. The girls were already there.”

Prosecutors claim that on May 19, 2017 at Glenburn Road in Falkirk, Bermingham did “with intent to commit a sexual offence” attempt to abduct two girls.

Prosecutors claim that he pretended to them that he had lost his jacket and offered them money and that he induced them to go with him across a stretch of water called Glen Burn and into woodland there. The Crown also claims that on the same date and at the same location, Bermingham assaulted a teenager by punching him on the head.

Bermingham, who is represented by Keith Stewart QC, has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The trial, which is being heard before judge Lord Beckett, continues.