Four men have been jailed for almost 30 years for kidnapping a 21-year-old man because he was dating the 17-year-old sister of two of the gang.
Kidnapping and torture
The victim was bundled into the boot of a black Audi A4 outside his home on December 29 in Telford, Shropshire, and driven off with his legs still hanging from the boot. He was then held captive in a shipping container – chosen because it was 'isolated, secure, out of public view and capable of being controlled' – where he was tied to a chair and tortured.
Judge Trevor Meegan told Shrewsbury Crown Court the kidnap was driven by 'perceived family honour' and showed a large amount of planning. He said: 'He was degraded and filmed, threatened with death and made to believe he would not leave alive.'
Gang members and their roles
The judge said brothers Ehteshan and Shayyan Hussain 'occupied a leading operational role' in the kidnap and assault while their distant cousins Faheem Chohan and Jawad Hussain both 'willingly participated'.
Prosecutor Jake Guise said the attackers were previously close to their victim having been on holiday, eating together and going to the same mosque. However, that relationship soured when he started messaging the Hussain brothers' sister.
Campaign of intimidation
In the run-up to the kidnapping, they embarked on a campaign of intimidation, driving cars past his house or following him on the motorway as he drove to work in a bid to warn him away. On one occasion a car stopped in front of him and one of the defendants got out, confronting him with a baseball bat.
On the day of the attack, the victim was at home in Arleston with his mum when a car pulled up at 2.18pm. Three men got out, stormed into the house and dragged him out, pushing his mother to the ground as she tried to stop them, then driving over her arm.
Ransom demand and escape
They put him into the car before heading to a storage unit in Eyton, Shropshire, where Ehteshan, 22, leased a secure storage container. They called his father and demanded £20,000 from his family saying the victim would 'not be coming home' if he didn't pay up. They also put the victim on the phone and he begged his family to hand over the cash.
Haider Ali, 22, who is due to be sentenced on Thursday, arrived 20 minutes later in a VW Passat before leaving after 10 minutes followed by the Audi containing two of the kidnappers. They drove to Lilleshall Golf Club where they dumped the Audi and left together in the VW. Two of the kidnappers were taken to an address in Arleston while Ali returned to the unit to collect the other two men at 3.44pm, leaving the victim locked inside and tied to a chair.
The Audi was reported to police and through CCTV they were able to identify Ali's car, leading to his arrest at 4.53pm on suspicion of kidnap. The victim was stripped naked and repeatedly punched in the face by the four kidnappers who recorded themselves forcing him to apologise to Ehteshan and Shayyan's father. While in custody, Ali received one of these videos at 7.11pm. This helped identify them as Jawad, Shayyan and Ehteshan Hussain, and Faheem Chohan.
Following Ali's arrest, they returned at around 8pm and put the victim into another car before driving towards north Shropshire. At some point, the attackers got out of the car giving the victim the chance to escape. He was able to lock the doors and, having seen the keys in the ignition, drove off and sought help at a takeaway in Whitchurch where staff called police.
Injuries and sentencing
He had suffered severe facial fractures, a torn retina, injuries to the ribs and bruising on his hands and arms. Following the incident, he has suffered 'profound and enduring consequences' including PTSD, anxiety and depression. He said he now 'rarely leaves the house' and the kidnap has 'changed my life.'
Shayyan and Ehteshan Hussain, 24, and Faheem Chohan have now been jailed for seven-and-a-half years. Jawad Hussain, 21, received a seven-year prison sentence.
