A man who attempted to kidnap five schoolgirls was described as “every parent’s worst nightmare” as he was jailed.

Abdi Waise, of Kenneth Robbins House, Tottenham, was sentenced to 17 years in prison at Wood Green Crown Court on Thursday, July 21.

He had pretended to be a police officer in order to try and snatch five girls – all aged between 11 and 13 – on separate occasions over two and a half hours.

Sentencing Waise, 28, for one count of kidnap, four counts of attempted kidnap, and offering to supply drugs, Judge Pavlak described him as "every parents’ worst nightmare".

DCI Paul Trevers, who was in overall charge of the investigation, said: "Waise went out with the plan of abducting a girl. He made concerted and increasingly desperate attempts.

"I want to praise the incredibly brave children involved in this matter - both victims and witnesses. They have gone through a very frightening ordeal and shown immense courage, not only at the time of the offences but also when forced to relive their experiences during the trial process.

"Offences such as these are extremely rare, and due to our increased and proactive police operation out on the streets Waise was caught within 24 hours."

On Monday, January 18, at about 7.53am, Waise was seen in a cab office on Hornsey Lane, asking for a car to pick his daughter up. He has no children.

His first attempt was not long after, when he approached the first girl, who was waiting at a bus stop in Tottenham Lane on her way to school.

Waise told her he was an undercover police officer, asked to search her bag and told her she could not get on the bus. The girl was worried so went straight home.

Waise began following her and shouting at her in the street. The girl pointed Waise out to one of her parents who challenged him. Waise said he was taking his daughters to school and left.

On a road off Tottenham Lane, Waise approached the second girl. He tried to engage her in conversation before telling her he was a police officer looking for his daughter.

The girl did not believe him and began to walk off. Waise grabbed her wrist, but she got away, made it into her school and immediately reported it to a teacher.

At about 8.10am in Ferme Park Road, Waise made his next attempt. He told the third girl and her friend he was a police officer and accused them of buying drugs.

In what police described as his most determined effort, Waise tried to lure the two girls to a nearby garden so he could search them, but the girls refused and fled.

Waise then targeted a group of schoolboys near the clock tower in Crouch End. He offered them money to use isopropyl nitrate – better known as “poppers” - on a girl, stating that it would make the girl faint and “they could do whatever they wanted to them”, say police. The boys refused.

In Park Road, immediately after his meeting with the boys, he approached his fourth intended victim.

He once again claimed to be a police officer, said he knew the girl's mother, claiming she had said it was okay to go to his house to have breakfast with him.

Police say the girl was frightened and attempted to run off. Waise pulled her back and continued to try to get her to come with him. The girl managed to escape, made it into school and told a teacher.

Waise's last attempt was made at about 9.10am when he approached the final girl at a bus stop. He grabbed her by the shoulder and said he was a police officer and told her she had to go with him.

The girl ran away and told a teacher as soon as she could.

Extra officers were put on patrol in the area after the incidents were reported to the police over the next two days. On January 19, plain clothes officers stopped and searched Waise in Sydney Road, Hornsey.

He was arrested after they found two small bottles of poppers on him. While in custody officers realised he fitted the description of the attempted abductor, was in the area of the offences and had the drugs described by witnesses.

Sentencing, the judge also imposed a deportation order and sexual harm prevention order.