DJ faces charge of kidnapping

LOS ANGELES: An Australian DJ locked up in a San Francisco jail after allegedly attempting to snatch a 2yearold boy off a busy street will have a chance to win bail later this week.

Roscoe Bradley Holyoake, a 34yearold from Perth known as DJ Roski, was dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit when he appeared in a San Francisco court yesterday charged with kidnapping and child endangerment.

He was arrested on Saturday after members of the public, including a dentist, said they heard the boy’s mother’s screams and chased after the Australian.

Assistant District Attorney Brooke Jenkins told the court the boy’s mother was pushing a stroller on San Francisco’s 17th St with her young son following closely behind her, the San Francisco Examiner reported.

When the mother was putting her mobile phone in her pocket she allegedly saw Holyoake carrying her son with his arms wrapped around the child’s buttocks.

A ‘‘tugofwar over the child’’ allegedly then began between Holyoake and the mother who yelled: ‘‘What are you doing?‘‘

A local couple, Adam and Sabrina Walker, were nearby with their own 4yearold son and told TV station KTVU they watched as Holyoake released the boy after the struggle, smiled and then attempted to run away.

Walker, a dentist, said he and other bystanders chased after Holyoake on foot. Holyoake gave up after a short chase, Walker said.

Holyoake, held on $US500,000 bond ($NZ741,500), will appear before a San Francisco Superior Court judge seeking bail tomorrow.

Holyoake’s courtappointed lawyer, Stephen Olmo, said the Australian did not have a criminal record.

‘‘He has been in this country many times doing charitable work, disc jockey work,’’ Olmo told reporters outside court. — AAP