A 10-year-old boy who clung to the window of a moving 4x4 to rescue his older sister when she was abducted by a man has been commended for his bravery.

Michael Martin (36) of Shandon Court, Yellow Road, Waterford city on Thursday pleaded guilty at Portlaoise Circuit Court to the false imprisonment of the 11-year-old girl following the incident at Cullohill, Co Laois, on March 4th. He had 92 previous convictions, including one for false imprisonment, and was on bail at the time.

The court heard the girl was walking with her 10-year-old twin brothers when she “was picked up and put into the SUV through the driver’s door”.

The defendant attempted to drive away but one of her brothers “ran up, reached in and attempted to strike the driver in the vehicle”. The boy then continued “hanging off” the vehicle with his feet off the ground.

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Prosecuting counsel Will Fennelly said “a large amount of Garda resources and manpower was deployed to locating this vehicle and driver”.

CCTV footage was taken from nearby businesses and residences and gardaí became aware of an earlier report of a similar vehicle acting suspiciously at Durrow.

The vehicle had been stolen in Kilkenny the previous evening. Martin was arrested the next day.

Judge Keenan Johnson remanded Martin to appear again next Thursday when sentencing continues.