Three men have been sentenced to a total of over 21 years in prison for the abduction of a pregnant woman from outside her home in Enfield, north London. The victim, who was six months pregnant, was forced into a van and threatened with having her fingers cut off in a phone call to her partner.
Audi Johnson, 35, of Northolt, was jailed for five years and four months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to kidnap. Ahmad Ghiasi, 26, of Luton, received seven years, and Nicholas Mitchell, 55, of Barnet, was sentenced to nine years following a trial at Kingston Crown Court.
The 36-year-old woman was snatched on 10 May 2024 as she waited to meet her personal trainer. Her hands were bound with cable ties, and one attacker warned: 'If you lie to me I’m gonna kick the baby out your stomach.' The gang then called her partner, demanding cash and jewellery, and threatened to cut off her fingers.
Despite being blindfolded, the victim managed to escape when left alone in the van. She flagged down a taxi and reached her mother’s house. The Metropolitan Police’s Flying Squad tracked the van using CCTV and identified the suspects through DNA, fingerprints, and phone data.
Detective Inspector Ari Yoganathan said: 'That a pregnant mother should be bundled into a van and threatened in this way is a shocking crime. Our officers used forensic evidence, CCTV, and intelligence to track down her attackers.'
In a victim impact statement, the woman said the ordeal left her unable to return home and forced her to spend the rest of her pregnancy on her sister’s couch. She added: 'The incident ruined my life. I will never be the same person again.'
