A SOLIHULL man is facing jail after he admitted abducting a five-month-old baby before leading police on a dangerous high-speed chase with the child in the car.
James Dempsey, 35, snatched the tot from a property in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, on April 3 this year.
Police launched a manhunt after the frantic mum found the child missing from their cot and urged the public to keep an eye out for Dempsey’s silver Vauxhall Astra.
A brave member of the public spotted his vehicle in the Olton area of Solihull later that day and tried to block it using wheelie bins.
This led to a 30 minute long high speed police chase, where officers were able to stop Dempsey and smash the vehicle’s windows.
A court heard how the child was showered in glass and left with bruising after officers broke their way into the car near Birmingham Airport.
Drug paraphernalia was also found on the car seat and while being arrested Dempsey told cops: “I only kept him for a day or two, ****ing hell”.
Last Friday, Dempsey, of Solihull, admitted abducting the child and the theft of a mobile at Birmingham Crown Court.
He also plead guilty to charges of dangerous driving, driving without insurance, driving without a licence, and taking a car without consent.
Wearing a grey T-shirt and blue jeans he only spoke to confirm his name during the five minute hearing.
Judge Peter Carr remanded Mr Dempsey in custody to re-appear at the same court for sentencing on June 13.
Steve Homer, prosecuting, told magistrates previously that the mum called police after finding her child missing from their cot after falling asleep.
He said: “It was a very young child who was taken away from the mother and the child was not recovered until late in the evening following a police pursuit, the child was gone for more than 24 hours.
“The woman said she woke at 8am because the child was crying, she fed it some milk and she fell asleep until about 11am.
“When she looked at the baby she noticed that the baby was not in the cot, the baby’s favourite blanket was also missing.
“Mr Dempsey was pursued by police at speed in a chase that lasted 30 minutes.
“Armed officers caught up with him and stopped the car and smashed the front window on the passenger side. Unfortunately shards of glass hit the baby.
“The young baby was however unharmed but there was some bruising.
“In the car there was a crack pipe and other items of drug paraphernalia.
“He was aware he was being pursued by police and accepted that officers had to smash the windows.
“He said the drug paraphernalia was not his, it belonged to someone else who borrowed the car and left the items there.”
During the previous appearance Dempsey was abused by a member of the public, who yelled at him: “You’re ***ing dead.”
The man, who was escorted from court by a police officer, shouted: “You better hope you go to prison because you’re dead, I’ll be waiting for you, you ****ing coward.”
Dempsey was remanded in custody and will next appear at Birmingham Crown Court for sentencing on June 13.
