A man who tried to kidnap a two-year-old boy from his home in the middle of the night has been jailed.

Reece Jolliffe, 28, pleaded guilty to attempted kidnap at Salisbury Crown Court on October 18.

Jolliffe was given an immediate two-year custodial sentence and a 10-year restraining order was imposed to stop him from contacting the victim’s family and attending their home address.

The court heard how Jolliffe, who had been drinking heavily, entered the victim's home in Amesbury through an unlocked door at around 4am on September 2, 2023.

The victim’s mother woke up to find Jolliffe at the end of her bed, holding her son in his arms, and after being disturbed, Jolliffe dropped the child and fled.

Police officers arrested Jolliffe shortly after at his home address on suspicion of kidnap.

During the interview, he claimed he could not remember what happened after he left the pub he had been drinking at.

In a statement read to the court, the victim’s mother said Jolliffe’s actions had “completely ruined” her family and left her son “absolutely terrified of everything”.

She wrote: “I did not sleep for months. I spent every night at the end of my bed keeping an eye on the back door.

"I was terrified of everyone and everything. I will not trust anybody ever again."

Sergeant Matthew Goldring, from the Salisbury and Tidworth team, said: “This was a deeply disturbing incident for the victim and his family.

“We do not know Jolliffe’s full intentions when he entered the victim’s home, but his actions were significantly alarming and he has left a young family traumatised.

“I would like to personally thank the victim’s mother for her bravery in reporting this to Wiltshire Police and trusting that we would bring Jolliffe to justice.”

He must also pay a surcharge of £187 to fund victim services.