Evidence from psychiatrist heard in case of attempted Whitby abduction

The incident happened on a residential street in Whitby, Porirua. Photo / Google

A judge has reserved his decision on what to do with a mentally ill man who tried to snatch a 3-year-old girl off a Porirua street.

The 32-year-old was arrested in March after a father told police a man lunged at him and tried to snatch his 3-year-old daughter as the pair were walking on Exploration Way, in the Porirua suburb of Whitby.

The man was staying in a mental health facility on the street, run by Pathways.

The man, who has name suppression, was earlier found not guilty by way of insanity on two counts of assault and one count of kidnapping.

He appeared before Judge James Johnston in the Porirua District Court for evidence to be heard from a psychiatrist.

The details given during the hearing are suppressed.

A sentencing date has been set down for September 7. The man is currently on bail.

Many locals have demanded the respite care unit be moved away from the nearby school.

The girl's father said on the day of the attack he was walking his daughter home from kindergarten when the man began following them. The man tried to lead the daughter away and became aggressive when the father intervened.

A neighbour had to run out and grab the child while the father tried to fend off the attacker.