A 23-year-old man has been charged with the abduction and sexual assault of a six-year-old girl in Greater Manchester.
Lewis Jones, of Liverpool, appeared at Manchester and Salford magistrates court on Saturday.
He was charged with two counts of sexual assault by penetration and one count of abduction, and was remanded in custody until 1 September when he will appear at Manchester crown court.
Great Manchester police (GMP) were called at 4.10pm on Wednesday to reports of the suspected abduction of the girl in Droylsden.
“Thankfully, the victim was safely reunited with her family a short time later, and we are continuing to give the victim and her family the necessary support at such a distressing time,” the force said.
A 35-year-old man was arrested shortly after the child’s disappearance and was later released with no further investigation.
The arrest of Jones followed the release of a third image on Thursday of a man police wanted to speak to in connection with the incident.
On Saturday, the force thanked members of the public “for their assistance in this investigation and for engaging with our appeals”.
GMP earlier said the girl was thought to have been taken by a man on Warne Avenue and led into woods in Droylsden, near to a disused railway track towards Manchester Road, at about 4pm on Wednesday.
Detectives said she was allegedly sexually assaulted in a van before being returned to the woods, where she found her way to a nearby park.
She was reunited with her family shortly afterwards and is being supported by specialist officers.
At a press conference on Thursday, Det Supt Richard Hunt praised the child’s “immense bravery” in helping with their investigation.
