ARMED police swooped on a man suspected of imprisoning a former nun and breaking her nose.

Kojo Ritchie appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court charged with causing actual bodily harm, false imprisonment and two charges of criminal damage.

The 24-year-old is accused of causing criminal damage to the car of his adopted mother Frances Ritchie – also known as Helen House hospice founder Sister Frances Dominica – on June 5.

He is also accused of travelling to the Kidlington home of former nun Karen Hughes, a family friend considered to be his aunt, where he is alleged to have held her against her will and assaulted her by punching her in the face.

Ritchie, of Hambleside, Bicester, heard the charges against him in silence and was remanded in custody until his next appearance at Oxford Crown Court on Monday.

Ritchie was arrested in Thames Street, Oxford, at 6pm on Tuesday on suspicion of assault.

Another person travelling in a black BMW with him was not arrested.

Last night, an eyewitness described how armed police arrested Ritchie at gun-point in the city centre street.

Watching from his second-storey flat window, George Roper saw two police cars block a black BMW convertible in Thames Street and aim weapons at the suspect.

The dramatic arrest happened by the junction with Shire Lake Close.

South Bridge Row resident Mr Roper, 48, said: “I looked out of the window and I noticed two police cars coming down Abingdon Road and going up Thames Street.

“They were going at a reasonable speed. One pulled in front at an angle by the right-hand headlight and the other one was blocking the left side.

“All of a sudden there were all these armed officers jumping out and aiming guns at the BMW.

“I think they got two people out. They complied but obviously they were a little bit shocked.

“Hands were immediately put up in the air and out the window so police could see they weren’t going to do anything.

“They (police) got them on their hands and knees and searched them.”

He said police searched the car and the incident lasted 20 minutes.

He added: “There was quite a few people watching it and obviously the traffic was held up for quite a while.

“It was as if it was a film playing out in front of me in slow motion.”