A 23-year-old man has been charged with child abduction and grooming after a 15-year old girl from Chelmsford went missing for five days.

Luke Ratcliffe, who’s unemployed, will appear before Chelmsford Magistrates Court tomorrow (Saturday, May 17) after he was arrested earlier today.

The girl was reunited with her family on Wednesday night after being identified by a member of the public in Barking, east London. She hadn’t been seen since the night of Friday, May 9.

She was spotted with Ratcliffe who then ran away from the scene.

At the time, Ratcliffe was on bail for a similar charge related to an incident last month when the girl was missing for two weeks, and again found in Barking.

He will remain in police custody until his appearance in court.