Four men have been convicted over the killing of a father who was abducted, subjected to torture and set ablaze.
Tomasz Samel was savagely attacked by an organised criminal gang as retribution after HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) confiscated £1m worth of illegal cigarettes that had been stored at his unit in Aston.
The 45 year old was snatched from his home in Raleigh Close, Handsworth in March 2019 by individuals posing as INTERPOL officers, the court was told.
Kidnapped and set alight
He was bundled into a white Peugeot van and transported to Liverpool, where he was doused in petrol and set alight.
Mr Samel suffered catastrophic burns covering 75 per cent of his body and was abandoned in an isolated location, reports Birmingham Live.
Despite managing to summon help, he tragically passed away in hospital three months later.
Trial and verdicts
Following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court, a jury deliberated for just over 11 hours before returning their verdicts on Wednesday, August 12.
Tobiasz Kozlowski, 38, from Kirkby in Merseyside, and Neil Jones, 48, of no fixed address, were convicted of murder and conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm.
Kevin Wooden, 46, from Banbury, and Kye Arthur, 35, from Bristol, were cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter.
All four men had previously admitted conspiracy to kidnap and falsely imprison.
Sentencing postponed
Kozlowski's wife, Sandra Kozlowska, 38, also from Kirkby, was found guilty of assisting an offender. Sentencing has been postponed until October 9.
The four men were held in custody while Kozlowska was permitted to stay on bail.
Kate Seal, from the Crown Prosecution Service, stated: "This was a brutal attack on a man who was kidnapped from his own home and subjected to horrendous violence."
"The CPS worked closely with West Midlands Police throughout this lengthy and complex investigation to pursue lines of enquiry and build a case using forensic, digital and witness evidence."
"Our thoughts remain with Mr Samel's family, who have endured unimaginable suffering, including witnessing his abduction from their family home. I hope these verdicts provide some measure of closure and reassurance that justice has been achieved."
