Girl-abducting cop tries to escape jail

TOSU, Japan, April 28 (UPI) -- A Japanese police officer charged with kidnapping three elementary school girls assaulted a jail guard in a bid to escape, it was reported Wednesday.

On top of his other problems, Hiroyuki Tomita, 25, has also been charged with aggravated assault and inflicting bodily injuries for trying violently to escape his detention on the abduction charges, the Mainichi news agency reported.

Tomita is under indictment on charges of kidnapping three elementary school girls in Tosu and Omuta between October 2003 and February 2004 in a bid to molest them. Tomita has denied the allegations.

On April 11, Tomita told a prison guard he wanted to wash his hands. When he was let out of his cell, he attacked and injured the guard, who then sounded an alarm. Other guards quickly captured Tomita.