A Canberra man who snatched a stranger's child in Civic last year has been sentenced to two and a half years in jail, but cannot be released until measures are in place to protect the community.
John Michael Gray, 27, pleaded guilty in the ACT Supreme Court to grabbing the five-year-old girl and running away, as her mother and members of the public pursued him.
Today a victim impact statement from the child's mother was read to the court, giving a harrowing account of the incident.
"This is the most shocking event that has ever happened to my family," she said.
The woman said her daughter continued to have nightmares and does not like to recall the incident, and that her other two children were left traumatised after witnessing their sister being grabbed by a stranger.
"The only comfort they have is that 'the bad man' has been taken away," she said.
The court heard Gray had seen the child inside the Canberra Centre and had followed her, later telling a pre-sentence report author he was sexually attracted to her.
The court heard the girl's family had just come out of a shop when they saw Gray sitting in a nearby doorway.
He grabbed the child tucking her under his arm and ran into a nearby alleyway, as the child's mother shouted: "Help someone has taken my child."
A member of the public followed Gray into the alley, where they saw him drop the child and a knife he had in his pocket.
Gray tried to flee, first running into a nearby shop and then to Narellan Street where he was restrained by members of the public until police arrived
Today the court heard Gray had told the pre-sentence report author that he had wanted a relationship with the girl.
"The suggestion of intending to enter a relationship is ridiculous and deviant," Justice Michael Elkaim said.
But Justice Elkaim ultimately found Gray's actions were driven by his mental illness.
"The offenders actions were the produce of a psychotic episode," he said.
The court heard Gray suffers schizophrenia and drug-induced psychoses.
Court hears of Gray's traumatic childhood
His lawyer Jonathan Cooper also detailed a shocking childhood of neglect, which led him to live in foster care.
The court heard his foster mother treated him so badly that she was prosecuted and he was returned to his parents.
Today extracts of a letter of apology from Gray to the victim and her family were read to the court, in which he explained he was unwell at the time of the crime.
Mr Cooper also told the court that since Gray had been in jail for the offence he had been properly medicated for the first time ever.
Justice Elkaim said that Gray's sentence must reflect his history and recognise the causal relationship between Gray's mental illness and his offending.
But he said he also had to prioritise community safety.
Gray has been sentenced to two and a half years and will be eligible for parole later this year.
But Justice Elkaim has made it a condition that he cannot be released until there is an NDIS plan for him to live under supervision and comply with his medication regime.
Gray has also been placed on the child sex offender register in the ACT.
