A known sex offender was able to attempt to kidnap a 10-year-old boy despite being monitored by police at the time.

John Foley was jailed for 10 years on Friday after he tried to drag the boy into a vehicle in Bolton, Greater Manchester.

Foley, 31, was being monitored by police and other agencies when he committed the offence last February.

It also emerged that at the time he was being considered for a sex offenders' treatment programme

We must pay tribute to the bravery of the young victims who assisted the investigation

Sergeant Bill Crittenden

Foley pleaded guilty to attempted kidnapping and was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court.

He was picked up by police just hours after attempting to drag the boy into the vehicle at the junction of Hawthorne Rd and Hawthorne Street on Sunday 10 February 2002.

The boy, who was with his younger brother, managed to break free and run home.

Because he was already on the sex offenders' register Foley was being monitored by a multi-agency public protection panel (MAPPP) in Bolton.

The panel involves representatives from probation, police, social services, education, housing and health.

Foley was arrested hours after the kidnap attempt

After the sentencing, the family of one of his victims said: "I hope that the sentence given will help [my son] regain the confidence to play out.

"But that will never mean being out of my sight."

Barbara Bate, chair of Bolton MAPPP, said a substantial amount of work had been carried out on the case.

"It is this joint approach that has led to him being brought before the courts and to this significant sentence imposed."

Sergeant Bill Crittenden, from Bolton Police, said it was a satisfactory conclusion to the case.

'Bravery' tribute

"We must pay tribute to the bravery of the young victims who assisted the investigation," he said.

The Bolton, Salford and Trafford Mental Health Partnership admitted Foley was being assessed for a place on the Edenfield Centre sex offenders' treatment programme.

In a statement, the partnership said: "Unfortunately there was not enough time to complete this process prior to his arrest."