Hammer torture gang who dumped man naked in street have kidnap sentences cut

The victim was held captive for almost 28 hours, stripped naked, beaten and stabbed after he was kidnapped in Kidderminster in August 2013.

The 37-year-old had been hunted for four years over an alleged debt by one of his kidnappers, Tariq Mahmood.

It had led to him being forced to move with his family 17 times to stay out of Mahmood's clutches.

When Mahmood finally caught up with him, he was subjected to a terrifying ordeal which left him bleeding, bruised and with fractured ankles.

For organising the ordeal, Mahmood, 43, of Castle Hill Drive, Castle Bromwich, was jailed for 17 years at Worcester Crown Court last year.

Court of Appeal judge Mr Justice Gilbart said it had been a 'brutal, savage and degrading' crime.

'It was not simply that it involved a sustained attack on a defenceless victim with hammers, the violence was sadistic and took some hours,' he said.

'He was naked and defenceless and had his feet tied. It was also a crime carried out for money or, at the very least, a reprisal for non-payment of money.'

But he said Mahmood should have received more credit for pleading guilty to conspiracy to kidnap, false imprisonment, wounding and intentional GBH.

See also: Six jailed after man stabbed, beaten and kept in container - before he was dumped naked in street

The judge, sitting with Lord Justice Burnett and Judge Richard Griffith-Jones, cut his 17-year sentence to 16 years and two months.

Paul Che Murray, 43, of Linwood Court, Erdington, had been involved from the beginning and in the violence.

He had his 15-year term for conspiracy to kidnap, false imprisonment and intentional GBH cut to 14 years and four months.

Tehery Mahmood, 39, of Mears Drive, Stechford, who only got involved after the victim was kidnapped, got 14 years for false imprisonment and intentional GBH.

He had his sentence cut to 12 years after the Appeal Court was told he has learning difficulties and was under his brother, Tariq's, influence.

But Kulbir Singh Bains, 43, of Gilson Road, Coleshill, saw his 17-year sentence for conspiracy to kidnap, false imprisonment and intentional GBH upheld.

'We consider that Kulbir Bains was a very considerable figure in this shocking series of crimes,' said the judge.

Following the court case, investigating officer Det Supt Paul Williamson said: "Kidnapping is a particularly violent and serious criminal offence and the victim in this case was lucky to escape alive but has suffered life changing psychological and physical injuries.

"Despite determined efforts to frustrate the investigation and evade capture, including disposal of vehicles and the container, the investigation team successfully gathered evidence to identify the role played by each defendant who were then tracked down and arrested.

"We would also like to recognise the bravery of members of the public who assisted the victim and the investigation by doing the right thing and calling the emergency services".

West Mercia Police has also been granted confiscation orders against two vehicles used in the course of the commission of the offences.