Gateshead gang kidnapped terrified taxi driver at gunpoint after lying in wait for him and passengerhttps://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/no ... i-32435051A gang kidnapped a terrified taxi driver from the streets of Newcastle at gunpoint after lying in wait for him and his passenger. As the victim drove out of a car park in Jesmond Vale, his Suzuki was blocked in and stopped by a red Range Rover in a targeted attack.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the victim had picked up the second man on August 24 last year. They were then boxed in and snatched a couple of hours later and taken to Gateshead at gunpoint in the taxi.
Now Andrew Wright, Simon Walton and Joseph Henderson have been jailed for their part in the offence, while Scott Haug will be sentenced at a later date. Emma Dowling, prosecuting, said: "The men in the Range Rover were clearly expecting the men to be there. They had travelled from Chopwell to Jesmond to threaten and intimidate them.
"Mr Wright was in the driver's seat with a realistic firearm. The complainants were taken against their will to Gateshead."
When they got there, Wright and Walton removed the second man from the car and took him into a flat. Haug, who was still in the car with the victim, was then startled when a police car drove past and he ran off, allowing the victim to also flee on foot.
Miss Dowling said: "It was not entirely a coincidence that the police were there. The Range Rover had flagged on the police system, but they were unaware of the kidnap."
Meanwhile Wright and Walton left the flat with the second man and got back in the Suzuki and went back to Chopwell. The car was later found burned out near Winlaton.
Around an hour later, the taxi driver reported the kidnap and theft of the car, which was not his, to the police. In body worn footage, he was seen with an obvious injury to his head and he was taken to hospital.
While in the car, the gang noticed there was a dash cam. Miss Dowling said they didn't realise it was designed to record only if there's an impact so had they not touched it, it would not have recorded them.
In the car, Wright is in the driver's seat with the gun "casually" lying on his lap, the court heard.
Regarding the motivation for the offence, Miss Dowling said: "It does appear they were trying to obtain something from (the second man), probably money. It appears the aim here was financial gain."
She added that it was unclear if it was a real gun or an imitation weapon and it was not recovered.
The victim said he had been approached by men in a Range Rover in Jesmond and was "directed at gunpoint". The court heard the terrified victim, a Syrian refugee who had lived in the UK for 10 years, withdrew his support for the prosecution.
Miss Dowling said: "He was described as a distressed and fearful witness. The dash cam footage shows how terrified he was.
"It must have been terrifying, given how close he was to the gun. The second man did not want to assist police when he was later traced."
Miss Dowling said Wright, 33, of Colt Park, Hamsterley Colliery, played a leading role. He has 42 previous convictions, including possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and blackmail.
Walton, who appeared in court on his 34th birthday, of Tees Street, Chopwell, has previous convictions for wounding and aggravated burglary while Henderson, 28, of Tees Street, Chopwell, also has previous convictions.
Wright, Walton and Haug all pleaded guilty to kidnap and Wright also admitted possessing a firearm or imitation firearm with intent to commit an offence and driving while disqualified. Henderson pleaded guilty to participating in activity for an organised crime group, his role being limited to driving the Range Rover to Gateshead in convoy with the taxi after the kidnap.
Wright was jailed for seven-and-a-half years, Walton got four-and-a-half years and Henderson was locked up for two years. Haug will be sentenced on October 8.
Judge Gavin Doig said: "This was serious offending. Planned, with weapons, carried out in daylight in the streets of Jesmond and Gateshead."
He added: "You were waiting for them. It's not entirely clear how you knew where they were going to be but you lay in wait for them and when the taxi came around the corner, you blocked them in and that's when the kidnapping occurred.
Susannah Proctor, for Wright, said: "He was drug dependent. He owed a significant amount of money and was trying to repay the debt by his involvement in these matters, which provides a context for this offending.
"He is resolute that this will be his last sentence and he will engage while in prison to stay off drugs. He is very disappointed in himself and has let his partner and mother down. He is acutely aware of the impact on his partner and 14-year-old son."
Tony Cornberg, for Walton, said: "He has been on a drug-free wing in prison for 12 months. He used to be a painter and decorator. Drugs derailed his employment prospects but he wants to be working again."
Shaun Routledge, for Henderson, said his role was confined to driving the Range Rover from Jesmond to Gateshead when the others got in the taxi. He added that his young family needs his support and he has become a mentor while remanded in custody.
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