Man and woman charged with abducting eight-year-old girl in Bristol

  • Bristol
Ismail Qurba, 25, and Annmarie Lawton, 29, both of Bristol, have been charged under the Child Abduction Act of 1984. Credit: PA

A man and a woman have been charged with a child abduction offence after an eight-year-old girl was kept away from home overnight.

Ismail Qurba, 25, and Annmarie Lawton, 29, both of Bristol, have been charged with detaining a child so as to keep her from a person having lawful control of her, which is an offence under the Child Abduction Act of 1984.

The pair will appear at Bristol Magistrates' Court virtual hearing on Saturday, Avon and Somerset Police said.

Police said the girl was "safe and well" and in the care of specialist officers following the incident in Bristol.

An urgent appeal was launched to find the girl after her mother had alerted police on Wednesday night when she had not returned home.

A force statement said: "Officers are grateful to the public and the media for sharing their earlier appeal to help trace the child.

"We continue to ask for your help and support in considering the welfare of the child involved and in view of the active legal proceedings.

"We therefore ask everyone to avoid intruding on the families of those involved and any speculation on the case in social media."