Kidnappers Jailed

A gang who kidnapped two innocent men and held them hostage for a week, before planning to murder them, have been sentenced to a total of 53 years imprisonment.

The case was heard at Southwark Crown Court where the defendants included Paul Augustas Wigan, 29, of MilfordTowers, Thomas Lane, who pleaded guilty to two counts of false imprisonment and one count of blackmail and was sentenced to nine years.

Kishmore Kumpati, 29, of Greenhaven Drive, also pleaded guilty to two counts of false imprisonment and one count of blackmail and was sentenced to nine years.

Jason Daniel Goode, 27, of Verdant Lane, was found guilty of two counts of false imprisonment and not guilty of one count of blackmail and was sentenced to six years.

Thijseen Johns Elliot, 28, of Siddons Road, was found guilty of two counts of false imprisonment and of one count of blackmail and was sentenced to 12 years.

Vigil Percival, 36, of 14 Whitwell House, Northwold Rd, was found guilty of two counts of kidnap and of one count of blackmail and was sentenced to a minimum of seven years.

Joseph Hadji, 27, of Forest Road, pleaded to two counts of kidnap and then halfway through the trial pleaded to one count of blackmail. Two counts of false imprisonment have been left to lie on file. He was sentenced to 10 years.

Three additional men were arrested following media appeals for five outstanding suspects and all have been bailed to return in November. On 22 September two men, aged 28 and 23, were arrested in north-west London. A 38-year-old man was arrested in north-west London on 2 October.

The kidnapping was on 2 August last year when two men were working at the W10 Sports Shop, Ladbroke Grove when Joseph Hadji and five other men entered the shop and threatened them - one of them armed with a firearm.

After ransacking the shop and placing large amounts of sports clothing in laundry and black bags, the suspects forced the shop workers from the premises. When one of the shop workers attempted to escape he was grabbed, punched to the floor and dragged along the ground by his T-shirt.

The two were handcuffed before being forced into a car. The group were then seen leaving the location in two vehicles - a VW Golf and saloon. The Golf was recovered at a later date, but the second car remains outstanding.

The hostages were taken to Kishmore Kumpati's address in SE28 where over a period of seven days they were kept handcuffed and blindfolded with duct tape at all times, kicked and punched, continuously threatened with torture and serious violence, and told they would be killed.

A covert police operation was launched by officers from the Kidnap Unit when police received an anonymous call on the day of the kidnap to advise them of the incident.

Throughout the course of the operation, ransom demands were made to the families of the hostages and armed officers intervened, arresting Wigan, Kumpati, Goode and Elliot and rescuing the two hostages.

Investigating officers later discovered that the hostages had been showered and dressed in black bin liners before being taken from the address - a likely indication that they were being led to their death when police stepped in.

Percival was arrested in the early hours of 11 August 2008 in Hackney, and Hadji on 14 August 2008 in Tottenham High Road.

DI Charlie Hodge, Kidnap Unit, said: "This was a violent and organised kidnap where those responsible showed little concern for the welfare of the two hostages, holding them in extreme conditions and exposing them to violence and psychological torture."

(BMcC/KMcA)