UK - Man accused of kidnap and sexual assault of girl aged 9 in Knightsbridge, London

[Luwin]

A man has been charged with kidnapping and sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl who was reported missing in Knightsbridge.
<modsnip - for copyright>

Knightsbridge: Man accused of kidnap and sexual assault of girl, 9

The girl became separated from her family while shopping in central London on Monday.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1848772663998640439

 

[clearskies1]

"Jurors were shown a video of an interview conducted with the girl after the alleged incident.
"He said to me would you like me to help you, and I said yes," she said.

Girl 'offered bitter drink'
<modsnip - posting more than 10% is a copyright violation - see link>

Girl 'kidnapped outside Harrods and sexually assaulted' - court

The girl was approached after she lost her family on a trip to London from France, a court hears.

www.bbc.com

 

[Skigh]

US Air Force captain is found not guilty of abducting Harrods girl

Robert Prussak, 57, approached the child near the department store after she became separated from her family during their holiday in London.

www.dailymail.co.uk

A US Air Force pilot cried today as he was cleared of kidnapping a nine-year-old French girl outside Harrods before drugging and sexually assaulting her.

Robert Prussak, 57, broke down as 'not guilty' verdicts were read out to all six of the charges levelled against him at Isleworth Crown Court.

It was said previously that the defendant had approached the child outside Harrods after she became separated from her family on April 22, during a holiday in London.

 

[Indy_ar]

US Air Force captain is found not guilty of abducting Harrods girl

Robert Prussak, 57, approached the child near the department store after she became separated from her family during their holiday in London.

www.dailymail.co.uk

A US Air Force pilot cried today as he was cleared of kidnapping a nine-year-old French girl outside Harrods before drugging and sexually assaulting her.

Robert Prussak, 57, broke down as 'not guilty' verdicts were read out to all six of the charges levelled against him at Isleworth Crown Court.

It was said previously that the defendant had approached the child outside Harrods after she became separated from her family on April 22, during a holiday in London.

The comments on the article echo my own thoughts

 

[Skigh]

There must be more to this story than has been reported for the jury to give a not guilty verdict on all of the charges.

 

[Indy_ar]

There must be more to this story than has been reported for the jury to give a not guilty verdict on all of the charges.

I really hope so. The article does not shed any light on what that could be. The story that he gave does not make sense. Apparently when the Benadryl wasn't found in the glasses at the hotel, it was difficult to prove that he had drugged the girl.

 

[MadeleineMaxwell]

It's very very strange. Why wouldn't he just take the girl into the huge shop with numerous staff she was outside?

 

[PoirotPink]

I really hope so. The article does not shed any light on what that could be. The story that he gave does not make sense. Apparently when the Benadryl wasn't found in the glasses at the hotel, it was difficult to prove that he had drugged the girl.

It sounds like he's saying she confabulated the assault, which might be true. The child's parents may have unwittingly led the child into making these assertions with the kind of questions they were asking, especially after the "bitter" drink. Reminds me of a Nordic film where a character is falsely accused by a child which leads to his whole village shunning him (can't remember the name).

Presumably, his version of events was also corroborated by CCTV. Why on earth would he take her to a park when he said he'd located a fire station whilst he was at his apartment? Very dumb and illogical decision to take her away from the store, although he's American military and may be used to "hero worship" and playing the hero in his home country.

 

[Alyce]

It would be so interesting to hear what the Jury heard. It does seem that they didnt accept the child’s statement.


But, still doesnt explain , for me, why a competent adult would not have taken the child into Harrods. Their security is excellent. They would have had the issue sorted in minutes….even if the child’s parents had not actually been in the store.

 

[LadyL]

yeah um ... I believe the child victim

 

[PoirotPink]

There's some information here about the specific allegations made by the girl, which sounds believable.

Man 'kidnapped and sexually assaulted' girl, 9, who got lost outside Harrods

Robert Prussak approached the girl, who was lost after becoming separated from her family during a trip to London, and led her back to his flat, Isleworth Crown Court heard

www.mirror.co.uk

Jury retires in trial of American pilot accused of kidnapping nine-year-old girl

It is alleged that Robert Prussak approached the girl outside Harrods and later took her to Hyde Park where he sexually assaulted her.

www.shropshirestar.com

And he did indeed take her through a park. Weirdly, stayed in his apartment for two hours!

Former US Air Force pilot acquitted of kidnapping nine-year-old girl in London

Robert Prussak, 57, approached the girl after she became separated from her family during a trip from France on April 22.

www.shropshirestar.com

It seems, after one hour of deliberations, the jury asked whether there was any DNA evidence and were told there wasn't. The lack of DNA evidence might have been the deciding factor for the jury (although, I don't see how a lack of DNA evidence would disprove the girl's account).

With this extra info, I do find his behaviour more suspicious. Can only assume the jury were one of those that assume DNA evidence is decisive and the absence of it introduced doubt. JMO.

 

[Indy_ar]

It sounds like he's saying she confabulated the assault, which might be true. The child's parents may have unwittingly led the child into making these assertions with the kind of questions they were asking, especially after the "bitter" drink. Reminds me of a Nordic film where a character is falsely accused by a child which leads to his whole village shunning him (can't remember the name).

Presumably, his version of events was also corroborated by CCTV. Why on earth would he take her to a park when he said he'd located a fire station whilst he was at his apartment? Very dumb and illogical decision to take her away from the store, although he's American military and may be used to "hero worship" and playing the hero in his home country.

Although the lab found Benadryl on the urine sample with no explanation of where it came from

 

[tesni]

US Air Force captain is found not guilty of abducting Harrods girl

Robert Prussak, 57, approached the child near the department store after she became separated from her family during their holiday in London.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Don't know if this is a later addition to the article, but the last two paragraphs:

"On Tuesday, the Metropolitan Police arrested a man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, at Isleworth Crown Court on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children.

He was taken to a police station and remains in custody."

 

[Bluebear15]

Unbelievable verdict, he should've been found guilty of kidnapping at the very least imo.

 

[Dotta]

Unbelievable verdict, he should've been found guilty of kidnapping at the very least imo.

He should have taken her to the Police Station,
NEVER his apartment!

This is ELEMENTARY knowledge and simple common sense.
SMH

JMO

 

[dm799]

US Air Force captain is found not guilty of abducting Harrods girl

Robert Prussak, 57, approached the child near the department store after she became separated from her family during their holiday in London.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Don't know if this is a later addition to the article, but the last two paragraphs:

"On Tuesday, the Metropolitan Police arrested a man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, at Isleworth Crown Court on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children.

He was taken to a police station and remains in custody."

MOO of course, but pretty safe to say it's the defendent who was arrested following the verdict. Wonder how the jury feel learning this?

 

[Dpdan]

I'm confused about the Benadryl. UK has Benadryl but it doesn't have diphenhydramine as the active ingredient in antihistamines. You can buy diphenhydramine as a sleep aid, but not Benadryl brand. I suppose it could have been obtained elsewhere, but if he was asked if he gave Benadryl when it was diphenhydramine which was found in her urine, that wasn't the right question to ask.

 

[Alcina]

I'm confused about the Benadryl. UK has Benadryl but it doesn't have diphenhydramine as the active ingredient in antihistamines. You can buy diphenhydramine as a sleep aid, but not Benadryl brand. I suppose it could have been obtained elsewhere, but if he was asked if he gave Benadryl when it was diphenhydramine which was found in her urine, that wasn't the right question to ask.

Oh true, I didn't know that about Benadryl in the UK.
Every single action this man took after seeing the girl is completely suspect imo
I do believe the little girl.

 

[Skigh]

US Air Force captain is charged with making indecent images of a child

Robert Prussak, 57, was arrested on Tuesday following a probe by the Metropolitan Police into child sex offences. He will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court this morning.

www.dailymail.co.uk