Man admits to North Perth child abuse

A man has admitted to sexually abusing two young children he lured from a holiday childcare program in North Perth.

Vincenzo Mule, 53, changed his plea to guilty to five charges, including sexual penetration of a child and unlawful detention, when he appeared in the WA District Court on Thursday.

The children had been due to pre-record their evidence for his trial but that was aborted.

Mule abused a four-year-old girl and a five-year-old boy before leaving them at Hyde Park on April 19 last year.

The holiday care centre did not notice the children were missing.

A member of the public found them in the park's playground about one hour later and alerted authorities.

A manhunt ensued, with police releasing CCTV footage showing the children following a man along a footpath and describing the incident as "every parent's worst nightmare".

Mule, who appeared in court wearing prison greens, has been remanded in custody until February 10 for a sentence mention.