Five Jailed For Kidnap

A group of men have been jailed for a total of 44 years after two innocent men were kidnapped and assaulted with an iron in a case of mistaken identity.

The five were sentenced on Friday at the Central Criminal Court for offences of conspiracy to kidnap, falsely imprison and blackmail after subjecting their victims to a sustained and violent ordeal.

A sixth man was dealt with for a charge of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

The court heard that on the morning of 3 November 2009, the two 20-year-old victims were approached by the group on Boundary Road, east London, threatened, blindfolded and forced into a waiting vehicle.

They were taken to an address in the north London area where Victim 1 was subjected to a prolonged assault whilst demands were made of his family.

Weapons including a knuckle duster and iron were then used to injure both victims.

They were then left at the address while the suspects went in search of the brother of Victim 1.

Later that day the suspects approached the brother near his home, threatening to shoot him if he attempted to escape. They then informed him they were holding his sibling. He was able to drive away and alerted a passing police car. The suspects' vehicle made off at speed before crashing into a bus. All of the occupants ran away, evading police.

The suspects returned to the address and made the first of a number of calls to the brother, demanding money.

The Metropolitan Police Service's Kidnap and Specialist Investigations Unit launched a covert operation to recover the hostages. Both were subsequently moved from the address, with Victim 1 taken to a second address, whilst Victim 2 was released at Redbridge railway station.

During his further incarceration Victim 1 was subjected to further assault, before being released during the early hours of 5 November.

Over the subsequent months nine men were arrested in connection with the incident; and those charged were dealt with in two separate trials - the second of which culminated in Friday's result.

Detective Inspector Andy Noyes, Kidnap Unit, said: "These two young men endured a terrifying ordeal. They were kidnapped and held against their will by an organised criminal network. During this time they were threatened and physically assaulted by the kidnappers who demanded money for their release.

"The MPS Kidnap Unit will do everything in its power to bring offenders to justice, to dismantle criminal networks and provide reassurance to the community. I hope that the sentences delivered by the court today will act as a deterrent to others who may consider committing a similar offence".

(BMcN/GK)