A CAREER criminal who kidnapped a mother and her young daughter as part of a plot to rob a bank has been found guilty following a two-week trial.
Michael Dunphy, 45, bundled the mother into a stolen car during the terrifying ordeal.
The woman and her seven-year-old daughter were then driven to the bank, where Dunphy forced two other members of staff to open the safe.
After the alarm was raised Dunphy fled, but was captured after a cross-border investigation between police in South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester.
Dunphy, of Barton Road, Hyde, Manchester – who has previous convictions for manslaughter, kidnap and drug offences – was convicted on Tuesday of four counts of kidnap and two counts of attempted robbery.
School run
The woman had just dropped one of her daughters at school at 8am on November 21, 2017 when Dunphy struck.
Trailing her in a stolen Audi, he bundled the mother into the car and also kidnapped her younger daughter before heading to the bank in Rotherham.
At the bank, Dunphy – dressed in a wig and beard as a disguise – threatened two other members of staff and forced them to start the time-delay on the safe.
However the mum's elder daughter had witnessed the earlier terrifying kidnapping and informed her school and the police.
After officers contacted the victim, alerting Dunphy that police were on their way, he fled before dumping the stolen Audi and driving back to Manchester in a cloned van.
Tracked down
Officers in South Yorkshire worked with colleagues in Manchester to crack the region’s first tiger kidnapping in two decades.
Using ANPR technology, CCTV, phone mapping and witness statements, detectives were able to locate Dunphy and arrested him two days later.
Leading the investigation Detective Inspector Mark Monteiro said: “Dunphy has a history of serious organised crime and showed no remorse whatsoever for putting his victims through a terrifying ordeal.
“The bravery shown by the victim’s daughter in raising the alarm after seeing her mum and sister being forced into a car is highly commendable.
“Thanks to her quick thinking, officers were able to foil the plot to rob the bank and ensure the safety of all the staff and the child involved.
“We cannot underestimate how frightening this would have been for any adult, never mind a child who was threatened with harm, if they did not do as they were told.”
He added: “I am pleased that Dunphy has been shown to be the callous criminal that he is.”
Dunphy claimed during the trial that he acted under duress from other criminals and had no knowledge of the kidnapping plot.
In 2011, he was jailed for 11 years after pleading guilty to the kidnap and manslaughter of Paul Brady in Rochdale. He was released in 2016.
Dunphy will be sentenced on Wednesday, June 20.
See More: Manchester, Michael Dunphy, Rotherham, Tiger Kidnapping
