A grandfather snatched his sleeping grandson from the child’s bed because he feared for his safety.

Stephen Howlett sparked a major search after he took three-year-old Jack from his mother's house in Hailsham in the early hours of the morning.

As police desperately tried to contact him by phone Howlett took his grandson on a trip to the Battle of Britain Monument at Dover.

The search was only called off after Howlett walked into Hailsham police station with Jack 33 hours later.

Yesterday the 53-year-old was given a suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to child abduction.

He told The Argus he took Jack after becoming concerned about the boy's circumstances at home with mother Emma Stahr.

He said he and the boy's father, John Howlett, contacted police and social services to raise their concerns about Jack.

But when officials visited the boy's home in Solway, Hailsham, in September last year and decided there was no need for concern, Howlett decided to take action himself.

Howlett, of The Diplocks, Hailsham, used keys he had been given by Ms Stahr to let himself into the house at 4.30am as she slept on October 1 last year.

He said: “Jack was asleep in bed in his pyjamas. I picked him up and down we went to the car.

“I got him dressed and we drove to the Spitfire museum at Dover and had a look around there.”

Howlett also took his grandson to Whitstable and Herne Bay in Kent where he bought him toys and clothes. He texted Ms Stahr to tell her Jack was with him.

At Hove Crown Court yesterday, Howlett was given a nine month prison sentence suspended for two years.

Judge Anthony Scott-Gall told him: “This is a very sad case but I am sure you realise child abduction is a very serious offence.

“For Jack to be removed by his granddad and be spirited away in the middle of the night and away from his mother must have left him frightened and bewildered.

“It was a futile gesture whereby you allowed your emotions to cloud your common sense.

“The result has inevitably created greater discord between the child's parents and great distress to Jack who no longer sees the grandfather he was obviously so fond of.

“He has not had contact with you for a year, a bitter blow for the boy brought about by your own stupidity.”

Detective Constable Paul Deadman, of Eastbourne child protection team, said: “While we accept there was no malicious intent involved in this incident and the child was returned voluntarily by Howlett, a large police operation was commenced and the incident caused considerable distress to the child's family.”