Mother beat up 'suspected child molester who tried to lure her daughter, 13, away for sex and marriage'



A suspected child molester ended up battered and bruised after he was confronted by the mother of girl he planned to attack.



Robert Harding appeared for his police booking photo sporting a black eye and bruises after meeting his match in Holly Pullen.



The feisty mum laid into Harding after he attempted to lure her 13-year-old daughter Samantha into an alleyway.

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Arrested: Robert Hardy asked the teenagers mother if he could marry her because he wanted to have sex with her

She squared up to Harding after her daughter told her a man had asked her to accompany him to an alleyway near their home in Des Moines, Iowa.



Police said when Mrs Pullen confronted 48-year-old Harding he asked how old her daughter was and if he could marry her.



Investigators said those comments sent the mother-of-two into a fury.



She said: 'I got down to the alley and I confronted him. I said, "Why are you staring at the kids?" and he looks at me and says, "I want to marry the red head".



'I came unglued at that point. I was like "Dude, she's only 13 and that's my daughter".'



Mother: Holly Pullen punched hardy when he told her his intentions towards her daughter

Mrs Pullen said she punched Harding in the face before the girl's father and one of his friends chased after the fleeing sex suspect.



Police said Harding admitted to knowing the girl was under age and attempting to lure her into the alleyway where he wanted to have sex with her.



'The guy told the officers that he was there because he wanted to marry this 13-year-old girl and take her,' Des Moines Police Dept Sergeant Chris Scott said.



'I would say this is a very dangerous guy. He's persistent. He saw this 13-year old girl and in my mind became completely infatuated with this child to the point where he was aggressive.'



Hardy's injuries meant he needed hospital treatment before he could be charged.



He was charged with enticing a minor under the age of 16, which is punishable up four years in prison and a parole violation. He's being held on $15,000 bond.



Mrs Pullen said she has no sympathy for Harding and vowed she would do it again if he ever approached her daughter.