Cleo Smith abduction: Man charged moved to maximum-security prison

The man who has been charged with abducting four-year-old Cleo Smith was handcuffed and barefoot as he was taken to a maximum security prison.

Terence Darrell Kelly, 36, was escorted onto a plane by special operations group officers at Carnarvon airport as they made their way to Perth.

Police charged local resident Kelly with forcibly taking a child among other offences in relation to the disappearance of Cleo.

The four-year-old went missing after she was abducted from a campsite and she was rescued from a locked house 18 days later.

Western Australia’s Department of Justice confirmed Kelly was being taken to a maximum-security facility in a statement.

“Officers from the Department of Justice’s special operations group will undertake the escort and transfer of the prisoner from Carnarvon to Perth,” a statement read.

“The prisoner will be transferred to a maximum-security facility.”

On Thursday, Kelly appeared briefly in court in the town of Carnarvon where a magistrate remanded him into custody.

He will reappear in court in December.

Cleo has been reunited with her family after her 18-day abduction ordeal.

Carnarvon, balloons were raised on buildings and signs were posted as a welcome home.

It comes after a police audio revealed the four-year-old’s first words to police officers on the rescue mission were: “My name is Cleo.”