A 31-year-old man has appeared in court accused of abducting a 15-year-old girl from Bradford Council care on Christmas Day.

Abid Miskeen, of Little Horton Lane, Bradford, is alleged to have been having “a romantic relationship” with the vulnerable teenager, who went missing for 36 hours before she was found by police.

Miskeen appeared in custody at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates Court yesterday charged with taking a child from the lawful control of Bradford Council Social Services Department on December 25.

He pleaded not guilty to the allegation.

Prosecutor Paul Ramsay alleged that Miskeen and the girl were in “a romantic relationship.”

He said the defendant had been on bail after being charged in October with two offences of sexual activity with a child under 16.

That case would be heard at Bradford Crown Court and Mr Ramsay and Miskeen’s solicitor advocate, Alias Yousaf, said the new allegation, involving the same girl, should also be transferred there.

Magistrates heard that the police mounted an exhaustive missing person enquiry to trace the girl on Christmas Day when she failed to return to the local authority care home where she lives in Bradford.

She had attended the home of a family member for Christmas dinner but disappeared afterwards.

The court was told she was found 36 hours later hiding in the basement at a female friend’s house in the city.

Mr Ramsay said one of Miskeen’s bail conditions was not to have any contact with the girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

He alleged they had been seen together in Little Horton Lane after she went missing.

Mr Yousaf applied for Miskeen to be rebailed but the magistrates refused the application.

Miskeen, who wore a red winter coat in the dock, was remanded in custody to appear at Bradford Crown Court in the New Year.