Cleo Smith’s kidnapper Terence Kelly ADMITS abducting four-year-old from her mum and step-dad’s campsite
- Terence Darrell Kelly, 36, accused of taking four-year-old from her family’s tent
- Kelly will face court via videolink on Monday charged with multiple offences
- He is facing a new charge of assaulting a police officer from November 4, 2021
- That was date 36-year-old first faced court in relation to Cleo’s disappearance
- His case will now be transferred to the West Australian District Court in Perth
Terence Darrell Kelly has pleaded guilty to abducting four-year-old Cleo Smith in a shock development.
Kelly, 36, was accused of taking four-year-old Cleo from her family’s tent at the remote Blowholes campsite in Western Australia last year.
He faced a magistrate via videolink from custody on Monday with an additional charge of assaulting a public officer the day after his arrest.
Kelly admitted to a single charge of forcibly taking Cleo Grace Smith from her mum and step-dad on October 16, in Carnavon.
The case will now be transferred to the West Australian District Court in Perth, where he will eventually be sentenced but avoid a criminal trial.
Kelly is yet to enter a plea to other charges.
Details about a new charge set to be laid against Cleo Smith’s (pictured) alleged abductor are expected to be outlined when he returns to court
He appeared via video-link before magistrate Ben White in Carnarvon, simply uttering ‘guilty’ when his lawyer said he was ready to plea to the single charge.
Cleo was found alive and well in early November, 18 days after she went missing from the campsite.
She was rescued from a property just minutes from her family home in the nearby town of Carnarvon, almost 1000km north of Perth.
Police forced entry to the home and found the little girl alone in a room, physically unharmed and playing with toys.
Kelly was arrested on a nearby street around the same time. He is alleged to have acted alone and is yet to enter a plea to his charges.
Police have said he has no connection to Cleo’s family.
Terence Darrell Kelly, 36, who allegedly kept Cleo in a Carnarvon home for 18 days, was charged in November with forcibly taking a child under the age of 16 – he will appear in court later this month
Cleo’s mother Ellie Smith and stepfather Jake Gliddon appeal for information during her disappearance. Cleo was found alive and well in early November, 18 days after she went missing from the campsite
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