Traumatic reason Alex Batty thought his grandma 'wouldn't love him anymore' as BBC documentary recalls kidnapping

Alex Batty revealed the heartbreaking reason why he protected his mother and grandfather after being abducted on holiday.

On 8 October 2017, the Oldham-born lad was abducted while on a family holiday to Spain and taken to live an 'off the grid' lifestyle.

Alex spent six years living with his mum, Melanie Batty, and grandfather, David Batty, on communes across Spain, France and Morocco, while his grandma and legal guardian desperately pleaded for his return.

In a miraculous turn of events, Alex was found alive by a delivery driver, wandering along a French roadside during the early hours of the morning in December 2023.

The driver took Alex, then 17, to a local police station, where he was allowed to return home to the UK and to his grandmother.

Nearly three years on, Alex has now opened up about his experience in new BBC documentary, Kidnapped by My Mum, which sees him revisit various locations across Europe and North Africa.

Despite being investigated over his kidnapping, Alex's mother and grandfather were never arrested, with police ultimately closing the case in January 2025.

Why were Alex Batty's mother and grandfather never arrested?

Part of the reason why the police called off the investigation into Melanie and David was due to a lack of family support.

Now, the 20-year-old has revealed further heartbreaking details about why he was hesitant to help locate the pair, revealing that he was terrified his grandma would refuse to take him back when he returned to the UK.

Alex was 11 when he was abducted by his mum and grandad, who were not his legal guardians (Greater Manchester Police)

"Because I'd gone with my mum and my grandad, I thought that my grandma wouldn't love me anymore," he explains in the documentary.

Revealing that he was terrified of being homeless if his mum and grandad were arrested, he continues: "I had this fear that if I did go back to England, she wouldn't take me back.

"And because I was 11 I thought that I would get thrown on the streets and be homeless.

"I lied through my teeth"

His fears over Melanie and David being arrested are part of the reason why he didn't disclose their location to the police, instead telling authorities that his mum was moving to Finland and that his grandfather had died.

"I was scared they were going to find my mum and my grandad," Alex says of his initial conversations with British police.

"I lied through my teeth," he continued. "I don't like lying, but back then, I did whatever I need[ed] to, to protect my mum and grandad."

Alex feared his grandma wouldn't love him anymore (BBC)

"As the victim, I feel like I should have a say in what happens."

Despite his fears of being homeless or put in foster care, Alex's grandma, Susan Caruana, never gave up hope on being reunited with her grandson and expressed her relief and happiness after learning that he'd been found by French police.

"I cannot begin to express my relief and happiness that Alex has been found safe and well," she said at the time.

Kidnapped by My Mum is available to watch on BBC iPlayer