A ROAD worker tried to abduct four schoolgirls, including one in Cradley, because he wanted to detain them for sex, a jury has been told.

Shawn Jones, of Brierley Hill, had a sexual interest in the girls who were all strangers to him and he wanted to take them away, alleged Simon Phillips prosecuting.

He said the 45-year-old tried to get the girls who were aged 12, 13 or 14 to get into his car after complimenting them on their looks or blowing them kisses.

"He tried to abduct the girls," claimed Mr Phillips after spotting them in the Kates Hill and Cradley area and also sitting inside a parked vehicle at the Merry Hill shopping centre.

Mr Phillips told Wolverhampton Crown Court a 14-year-old girl walking in Kates Hill was approached by Jones in his car and after telling her she was beautiful he offered to drive her around.

The remarks he made to the schoolgirl then became more sinister and he only drove away from the scene when she was on the verge of tears.

The police were notified and the girl could only remember part of the registration number of the vehicle but days later Jones saw a 12-year-old girl in Slade Road, Cradley.

He told her she was nice looking, said Mr Phillips and asked her if she wanted to go for a ride. When she refused he drove off but she too reported what had happened to her mother.

Investigating police officers recovered CCTV from Slade Road and it showed the BMW pulling up alongside the schoolgirl.

checks were then made and it was discovered the car was registered to the home of Jones in Norwood Road, Brockmoor and he was arrested.

When questioned he said he had lent his car to other people he could not name and he was bailed while inquiries continued.

But there was then a third incident, said Mr Phillips when Jones saw two girls while he was sitting in a car parked at the rear of KFC at the Merry Hill centre.

There is no dispute at all that this was his vehicle because one of the girls noted the registration number on her mobile telephone, continued Mr Phillips.

He said Jones told the girls he loved them and he blew them kisses before driving off. He was arrested a second time but denied acting inappropriately when questioned.

"He was sexually interested in the girls because of what he said to them," alleged Mr Phillips. "He wanted to take them away, to detain them and commit some sort of sexual offence.

"At the very least he attempted to abduct these girls for an unknown purpose.”

Jones has pleaded not guilty to four charges of attempted child abduction and four of attempting to abduct a child with intent to commit a sexual offence.

His trial in front of a six man-six woman jury is continuing and it is expected to last for four days.