"Bizarre and illogical behaviour" of man who tried to kidnap six girls and women on same day

The court heard that in one incident, he told a woman “Give me a hug – you need to come with me” and, in another, he appeared to have glazed eyes and “to have to think about what he was going to do next”.

Ali, of Clough Road, Rotherham had pleaded guilty to eight offences on what would have been the first day of his trial - six counts of attempted kidnap, one of assault with intent to resist lawful apprehension and one of drink driving.

But Judge Roger Thomas decided to postpone the sentencing until the end of May after deciding he needed to hear from the defendant in person about why he had acted in the way he died.

Judge Thomas said Ali claimed he had been given a substance that had affected his behaviour and caused “some sort of blackout”.

He said: “I find it difficult to accept that some can act oddly as is proposed as a result of ingesting something.”

Mr Tim Savage, representing Ali, conceded his behaviour was “bizarre and illogical”.

He said one of the victims had told how Ali became aggressive after asking her for directions, while he had approached another and said: “Give me a hug – you need to come with me”.

This woman, Mr Savage said, had told how “this man’s eyes were glazed and he seemed to have to think about what he was going to do next”.

Mr Savage said Ali claimed he had tried to intervene in a dispute between his family and another family and “they have given him this drink”.

He added: “All he says is he was given something, he did not know what was happening and he woke up in the police cells.

“He accepts his behaviour suggests he had formed an intent to take people away but he does not know why”.

Mr Anthony Dunne, prosecuting, said a pre-sentence report had concluded Ali did not have any ongoing mental health issues.

He said whatever substance he might have been given, it would not cause him “to approach females in the street and try to make them go with him”.

Judge Thomas said he wanted to hear evidence in person from Ali and adjourned the sentencing until May 27.