THE case of a York predator who tried to snatch a girl at a bus stop could lead to a new law allowing child abductors to be regulated.

Campaigner Sara Payne today thanked The Press for bringing the case to her attention and now her pressure group, Phoenix Survivor, is joining us in lobbying Home Secretary Charles Clarke for a change in the law.

The Press on Tuesday highlighted the case of Terry Delaney, 52, who was jailed for four years for trying to kidnap the 13-year-old but could not be put on the Sex Offenders' Register because child abduction is not treated as a sexual offence.

But Sara Payne, whose daughter Sarah was abducted and murdered by paedophile Roy Whiting, said people who abducted children had no other motive than to harm them.

She said: "I would like to thank The Press for bringing this case to our attention. We have been campaigning for a long time for child abduction to be recognised as a sexual offence.

"Now we hope there will be a change in the law, so that anyone who abducts a child who is a stranger to them can be put on the Sex Offenders' Register, or given some other order to restrict their movements.

"I have no doubt that Delaney intended to take that child, and the fact that he didn't manage to abduct her is not down to his good nature, it is because she managed to shake herself free.

"If he intended to abduct her, then he must have had bad intentions to her in mind.

"Here is a man who had every intention of doing something to that child, and it could have been murder."

Sara and her colleague Shy Keenan, who is the chief advocate of Phoenix Survivor, are writing a dossier of evidence with the help of The Press, which they will hand to Mr Clarke, calling for a change in the law.

Child abduction is not currently listed under the Sexual Offences Act, so defendants cannot be put on the Sex Offenders' Register or banned from working with children, nor can they have other specific orders made against them.

Neither is it specified under the Criminal Justice Act, which includes crimes such as murder and affray, where orders can be made against defendants because they are dangerous.

But Ms Keenan said: "There should be an offence of stranger abduction, which would come under a different law to the one where a parent takes a child, and that could be treated as a sexual offence.

"I have spoken to Charles Clarke's advisor and she has confirmed that we can make a representation to him to ask for a change in the abduction laws.

"We will compile information about the case of Terry Delaney, and of other child abductions, and present them to the Home Secretary to show why the law should be changed."

Phoenix Survivor, a web-based support group by and for the victims of child abuse, began campaigning three years ago for a new law of stranger abduction.

Ms Keenan said: "I thank The Press for highlighting this new case, because it means we might finally gain the change in the law we have seeking for so long without success.

"We began a campaign after a man who had a history of sexual offences tried to abduct a child from a park, but was prevented by shopkeepers who rescued the girl. He could not be put on the Sex Offenders' Register because child abduction was not treated as a sexual offence.

"We lobbied the then Home Secretary, David Blunkett, but were unsuccessful. I believe this York case could be the one that changes the law."

Mrs Payne said the Delaney case brought back memories of her daughter Sarah's killer.

She said: "I was told that if Roy Whiting was not convicted of murder he could have been sentenced for up to 25 years for child abduction so it is a very, very serious offence.

"All the time through the court case, it was treated as certain that Roy Whiting took Sarah for sexual reasons. The judge said there could be no other reason, even though his motives could not be proved.

"It makes me angry that no one in authority ever challenges the law and it is always down to journalists and campaigners like me to bring these anomalies into the open, because barristers and judges and the people who should be making the changes are not doing it.

"People like myself and my colleague Shy Keenan should be able to walk away from all of this and trust in our Government, but we can't do that until we know everything possible has been done for our children.

"I totally understand the law on child abduction was made to cover situations where two parents divorce and one takes the child, and it wouldn't be right to treat that as a sexual offence. But any stranger who abducts a child should have the full force of the law thrown at them."

The Home Office confirmed Shy Keenan and Sara Payne had made a request to make representations to Mr Clarke regarding a change in the law.

A spokeswoman said: "We will look into their representations to see if the law regarding child abduction can be changed.

"Certain offences under the Sexual Offences Act come under 'Schedule Three', which means defendants are automatically placed on the Sex Offenders' Register. Others come under 'Schedule Five' and this means a judge has the power to make specific orders against an offender, such as requiring them to be on the register.

"We will review 'Schedule Five' to consider whether more offences can be added to the current list."

Spotlight on York incident

TERRY Delaney was jailed for four years on Tuesday for the attempted abduction of a 13-year-old girl he met at a bus stop in Acomb, York.

After chatting to the girl and asking her name, he grabbed her by the arm and tried to pull her away.

But the girl broke free, and ran to a friend's house.

Delaney was captured on CCTV and was arrested after the incident on October 30.

He was convicted by a jury last month, but still denies the crime and gives no explanation for it.

Judge Paul Hoffman told Delaney: "I would have sentenced you under the danger offender provision, but counsel have told me these provisions do not apply."

Child abduction is not listed under the Sexual Offences Act and so offenders cannot be put on the Sex Offenders' Register, be banned from working with children, or have other restrictions imposed on them.

Judge Hoffman heard how probation experts firmly believed Delaney was motivated either by lust or violence.

When sentencing Delaney to four years inside he hit out at his inability to ban the criminal from working with children in the future.

He said: "It makes no sense to me. It is obviously an anomaly."

The girl's mum said: "In future, Delaney could be out roaming parks or standing outside a school.

"The law needs to be tightened up in cases like this."

Updated: 14:14 Thursday, April 27, 2006