Convicted murderer Paul Sharpe, 56, from Portwood, Stockport, has pleaded guilty to kidnapping a 15-year-old girl at knifepoint and holding her hostage for eight hours in a terrifying ordeal that ended in a hotel car park in Knutsford.
Guilty Pleas to Six Charges
At Minshull Street Crown Court on July 3, Sharpe entered guilty pleas to six charges including kidnap, sexual assault, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, and making threats with a bladed weapon. The Crown Prosecution Service described the incident as a 'protracted' and 'terrifying' ordeal.
The abduction occurred at approximately 7:30pm on May 18 on Bradgate Road in Altrincham. Sharpe threatened the girl with a blade, placed her in a headlock, and dragged her into his vehicle. He falsely claimed her father was in debt to him and drove to a car park at the airport, where he restrained her wrists and ankles using a necktie.
Eight-Hour Nightmare
Throughout the evening, Sharpe moved between various car parks, forcing the girl to consume alcohol, sexually assaulting her, and masturbating while touching her feet. The ordeal ended when officers apprehended Sharpe in a hotel car park in Knutsford around eight hours after the abduction, following a missing person report by the girl's mother and extensive CCTV investigations.
In his police interview, Sharpe claimed he kidnapped the girl because he was 'feeling bad' and thought it would be easier than kidnapping an adult. He said he wasn't thinking clearly and intended to release her when it was light, then end his own life. He claimed his motives weren't sexual but admitted being aroused by smelling her feet.
Prosecutor's Statement
Senior prosecutor Hannah Gee of the CPS said: 'Paul Sharpe, a convicted murderer, kidnapped an innocent girl at knifepoint in broad daylight. In this terrifying incident, the victim was held captive for eight hours while Sharpe forced her to drink alcohol and sexually assaulted her. Sharpe gave no thought to the impact his actions, for his own depraved reasons, would have on his victim.'
Gee added: 'Although his guilty pleas today have spared her from the ordeal of a trial, I would like to thank the girl, and her family, for supporting this prosecution and ensuring this dangerous offender is back where he belongs.'
Sentencing Scheduled
Sharpe is due to face sentencing at Minshull Street Crown Court on September 4, 2026. The charges also included committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence and administering a noxious thing 'with intent to injure, aggrieve or annoy'.
