York teenager relives her terrifying ordeal at hands of would-be abductor

She did not panic, she gave a false name, she refused to go with him, and when he grabbed her, she shook herself free, and she ran.

Today, courageous Natalie is doing an even more valiant thing - publicly talking about what happened to her in the hope she can bring about a change in the law.

The 13-year-old, of Strensall, York, has waived her right to anonymity to boldly stand up to Delaney, 52, and tell how she is backing our campaign to allow strangers who kidnap a child to be registered as sex offenders.

As we revealed last week, child abduction is not listed under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which means judges cannot put defendants on the register for the crime.

Natalie, bravely speaking through tears about her terrifying experience last October, said she was devastated to learn Delaney, who was jailed for four years, would be free to mix with children on his release.

She said: "When my mum told me he had been jailed for four years, I was pleased. I said: 'Good because he will go on the Sex Offenders' Register'. But then my mum told me he wouldn't, which seems wrong.

"He should go on the register so he can't meet other children when he comes out. It was horrible and I don't want to bump into him ever again."

Pretty Natalie is a quiet, well-behaved young girl, who has been terrified by her experience, and finds it hard to say more than a few words without crying.

She is from a good family and receives amazing support from her mum, June, a secretary, and protective friendship from older sisters Rachael, 21, and Sarah, 23.

But talking to strange people is hard, and brave Natalie has done it first to police, then to a judge and now to a newspaper, because she knows it will help stop predators like Delaney.

She said: "I had been over to see a friend in Acomb and was getting the bus back home at about 4.45pm on a Sunday. My mum rang me about five minutes before it happened to see if I was on my way home.

"It was going a bit dark, but it was only early evening and I wasn't scared."

Natalie went on: "A man came over to me. He looked at me first and then walked off. He looked normal, not drunk or anything, like he said in court. But then he came back and said: 'Is this where you catch the bus into town?' And I said yes.

"Then he introduced himself and said his name was Tony, or Terry. I couldn't really tell what he said and I suppose he was slurring his words a bit.

"Then he asked me what my name was, so I gave him a false name.

"I said I was called Amy, which was the first name that came into my head. Then he just grabbed my arm and said: 'Come on.'"

Tearful Natalie broke down as she recalled the terrifying moment she realised she was about to be kidnapped by a stranger.

But she bravely composed herself and said: "I had been worried ever since he looked at me, and I just didn't want to talk to him.

"As soon as he grabbed my wrist, I pulled it away and for some reason he let go. I started running to my friend's house, which is only about five minutes away. I didn't stop, and I didn't look back at him once."

Natalie broke down again as she recalled hearing Delaney laughing at her as she ran away.

Later, she admitted feeling ashamed about what happened to her, even though she did nothing wrong.

But June is furious Delaney's actions have left her daughter frightened and upset and, even more, she is worried about what might happen in future.

"He has no right to make my daughter feel like this," she said. "She feels ashamed because she couldn't stop him, but he was the one in the wrong. The fact the case came to court says this man had every intention of doing something bad to her.

"As soon as he saw her at the bus stop, he took the decision to act. He lives in a flat just behind the bus stop, so he didn't need to ask where to catch the bus to town.

"Nothing has changed for Natalie. She still feels frightened, but when Delaney is released from prison, he will be able to walk free."

When Natalie arrived, frantic and hysterical, at her friend's house, she gave a description of her attacker, with his swollen face, tan-coloured baseball cap and leather jacket.

Her pal's mum dashed out to find the man and arrived in time to see the bus leave without him on it. She went into Acomb Co-op and gave a description to the assistant, who remembered Delaney, and found an image of him on the store's CCTV.

June, who rushed to be with Natalie, said: "She was hysterical, frightened, scared, and it was awful. I just wish I'd been there to protect her. But she was so brave and told the police everything."

Natalie added: "I just wanted them to catch him. I didn't want to think about what he might have done to me. I didn't want talk about it, but I knew I had to so the police could arrest him and I wouldn't have to bump into him again."

Her statement, which was videoed, led police to Delaney's address, where the cap and jacket were found hanging in his hallway.

"The worst part was being asked to identify him on the video ID parade," she said. "I didn't want to look at his face. But as soon as I saw it, I knew it was the right man."

June told the head teacher at Millthorpe School because "Natalie wasn't herself in lessons", and the 13-year-old also confided in close friends.

But many people did not know what had happened to her - until today.

"Going to court brought it all back," said Natalie. "I didn't have to see him as I was in a video room, but it was enough knowing he was in the same building.

"I was glad the jury found him guilty because he would be locked up, but I was worried about how long he would get."

June, who was in court to see Delaney sentenced, had to make the fateful phone call to Natalie at lunchtime.

"I told her he had got four years and the first thing she said was, 'That means he will have to go on the Sex Offenders' Register' but I had to tell her no.

"I tried to explain to her why, but it was difficult, because I don't really understand myself."

Natalie said: "When he comes out, he should be watched so he can't do it again.

"It is good The Press is having a campaign to change the law to stop people like him."

June said: "I just want to ensure my daughter and every other child is safe."

'Natalie Hick is our hero' says support group

"NATALIE Hick is our hero," said Shy Keenan, chief advocate for Phoenix Survivors.

Now, thanks to Natalie's bravery in standing up to Terry Delaney, there could be a change in the law governing child snatchers.

But we must put pressure on the Government to ensure strangers who kidnap, or try to kidnap children, can be put on the Sex Offenders' Register, or receive orders restricting their movements.

Today, The Press and Phoenix Survivors launch a petition, left, asking Home Secretary Charles Clarke to create a new law of stranger abduction listed under the Sexual Offences Act.

This would give the power to judges to put defendants on the register, ban them from working with children, or make Sexual Offences Prevention Orders to restrict their contact with children.

The first signature on the petition is that of Sara Payne, the mother of eight-year-old Sarah Payne, who was kidnapped by Roy Whiting in 2000 and murdered.

Shy, her colleague at Phoenix, a web-based support group by and for the victims of child sexual abuse, said: "Sara is the first signatory, and I am the second. We are determined to keep up the pressure until the law is changed to protect children like Natalie.

"Natalie is our hero, and is an amazing person for doing something so brave.

"We are putting her on the Our Heroes section of our website, which includes many important professionals and celebrities who have done outstanding things, so she is in good company.

"I'm sure this petition will attract thousands of supporters in York."

Phoenix Survivors can be found at www.phoenixsurvivors.com

Updated: 16:03 Friday, May 05, 2006