Indian woman, 62, who was accused of trying to snatch an eight-month-old baby from a mother is found NOT GUILTY

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Rukibai Lakhman Karavadra, 62, was cleared in 57 minutes after she was accused of trying to snatch Sarah Hunt's baby 

An Indian woman accused of trying to snatch an eight-month-old baby has been found not guilty today following a trial.

Rukibai Lakhman Karavadra, 62, was accused of attempted child abduction after a mother claimed she tried to take her daughter while pleading, 'I need a baby'.

It took the jury of five men and seven women just 57 minutes to return a unanimous not guilty verdict after a two day trial at Leicester Crown Court.

Karavadra, of Belgrave, Leicester, bowed her head when the verdict was given to her by an interpreter. 

She walked free from court with her name cleared this afternoon.  

Earlier in the week Sarah Hunt, 28, told jurors the Karavadra had put her foot in the way and grabbed the pushchair - which had her eight-month-old daughter inside.

Ms Hunt said she eventually managed to force the door shut after hitting the gran's hands several times and called the police on September 24 in 2016.

Karavadra, of Belgrave, Leicester, denied the charges throughout the proceedings. 

Jurors were told Karavadra came to the UK nine years ago and stays at her brother's home and at a friend's, but occasionally sleeps rough on park benches.

Giving evidence from behind a screen, Ms Hunt broke down as she told of the moment she knocked on her door. 

She said she did not recognise Karavadra, who was stood in her doorway saying: ‘Baby, I need baby.’

Ms Hunt, whose tot was in a pushchair by the door ready to go out, said: ‘I said ‘No that’s my baby,’ and she said, ‘Yes, I need baby.’

Sarah Hunt, 28, told jurors the Karavadra had put her foot in the way and grabbed the pushchair - which had her eight-month-old daughter inside. Above: Ms Hunt, right, and baby Amelia, left 

Pictured: Sarah Hunt, bottom right, with daughter Amelia and her partner

She told jurors: 'I tried to shut the door but she put her foot in the door. She tried to pull the pushchair out of the door.' 

'I tried to pull her fingers back to release her hold on the pushchair. I hit her wrists a couple of times and she still wouldn't let go.

'She took her hand off and I managed to shut the door and she was still banging on the door after I closed it.'

The court heard how Ms Hunt dialled 999 at 10.05am, but it took the police six days before an officer came to take her statement. Leicestershire Police apologised and told the couple they have 'retrained staff.'

In her defence, Karavadra said she speaks Gujarati where ‘baby’ is the same as in English and claimed she was visiting the flat to clean for a resident who lives on the fourth floor.

She said it was ‘just a misunderstanding’ and, speaking through an interpreter, said it was ‘because of the language problem’.

Ms Hunt accepted it ‘wasn’t very good English’ but disagreed with Karavadra’s defence.

Name cleared: Karavadra is pictured above leaving Leicester Crown Court on Thursday afternoon following the trial where she was found 'not guilty' 

Ayesha Mirza, who lives on the fourth floor, said Karavadra arrived on time to clean her flat.

She said she made a gesture with her hands suggesting she was pleased to see her and giggled, but they do not speak the same language so they did not talk.

Ms Mirza said Karavadra did not pay any interest to her own four-month-old daughter and carried out her cleaning duties ‘happy, without concerns’.

When questioned by police, Karavadra initially denied being at the block of flats, until being advised of it being captured on CCTV.

She said she had not grabbed the pushchair and had simply called at the wrong flat.

Karavadra said she had no education in India and could not read or write in her own language, nor speak English.

She said the door had been closed without any conflict taking place and denied she wanted to take the baby thinking it would help her obtain accommodation.

Prosecutor Stuart Lody told the jury it was a ‘bizarre’ case.

He said: ‘The decision you have to make is this: Are you sure this defendant, for whatever reason – and the Crown cannot put a motive on it – decided to take another woman’s baby and attempted to do so?’ 

Today after a short deliberation of under an hour, the jury returned a not guilty verdict. 

When questioned by police, Karavadra initially denied being at the block of flats (pictured above), until being advised it had been caught on CCTV