Stroud man accused of child abduction appears in court

Mr Coombes has been accused of breaching a a Child Abduction Warning Notice (CAWN)

A man charged with a child abduction offence has appeared in court.

Curtis Coombes, of Stroud, has been charged with unlawfully keeping a child in care without lawful authority, Avon and Somerset Police said.

The charge comes after an alleged breach of a Child Abduction Warning Notice (CAWN).

Mr Coombes, 19, entered a not guilty plea and was released on conditional bail ahead of a trial at Bristol Magistrates Court on 18 March.

CAWNs are commonly issued to disrupt the activities of an individual who repeatedly associates with a young person and where there are concerns they may be exploiting them, according to Gloucestershire Police.