Child-menacing man scared off

An off-duty security guard who scared off a man threatening two children in broad daylight says it's awful to think what could have happened to the youngsters had he not intervened.

Brendon Gibbons was buying his lunch in Mt Roskill on Sunday when he noticed a man approach a paper-boy.

"I saw them talking. The paper-boy didn't look too good. He looked really scared," Mr Gibbons said.

He jumped out of his car after the man approached the boy a second time. The man then walked off.

Moments later, Mr Gibbons saw the man walking towards a 10-year-old girl.

"He was talking to the little girl for about a minute and a half. She looked scared and tried to move away. I saw her backing off on to the grass and I thought something was wrong."

Mr Gibbons crossed the road and walked towards them. "He saw me coming and walked off. The girl walked really fast towards me. I asked if she was all right and she broke down and held on to my hand and didn't want to let go.

"I took her to her house and her mum came outside and called the cops. She said the man had said rude things to her."

Mr Gibbons said it was a wake-up call. "I felt scared because I have a daughter of my own. The streets are meant to be safe for people to walk on. I'm just so happy I was there at the right time because who knows what could have happened."

* Detective Sergeant John de Heer said yesterday a man in his mid-20s was arrested soon after Sunday's incidents. He was remanded in custody and faces a number of charges including possession of a knife, threatening to kill and breach of bail. He said more charges were likely to follow.