Brutal mission of kidnap and torture

MAZHAR ABBAS . . . 11 years

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Revenge Gang jailed

KIDNAPPED men were tortured and sexually abused by a sadistic gang intent on revenge.

Two Glodwick thugs were among five crooks jailed for a total of 32 years on Friday for a series of sordid and chilling attacks.

Bradford Crown Court heard harrowing details of an orgy of violence that resembled a horror film.

Ringleader Mazhar Abbas (34), of Bradford, instigated the kidnapping of four Bradford men to find out who was involved in an armed robbery on his house two years ago when drugs were stolen.

Richard Wright, prosecuting, said: “Loss of face, money and respect that the robbery caused needed to be corrected in his eyes. This case is about revenge and how these defendants chose to act on their suspicions though brutal punishments, kidnap and torture.”

Two trusted lieutenants — Munir Ahmed (31), of Park Road, Glodwick and Zia Hussain (32), of Abbey Hills Road, Glodwick — helped carry out the abductions and torture between March 24 and April 3. Three victims, including two childhood friends of Abbas, were held captive in a stronghold in Kennedy Street, Coppice, where they were interrogated and abused to punish and degrade them.

One was sexually assaulted and forced to perform a sex act on his fellow captive. His ordeal was filmed to humiliate him into not telling police.

A victim was stripped naked, beaten, had electric clamps connected to his body, had hot wax dripped on him and was threatened with a knife.

Another was held for 10 days and subjected to a mock execution in woodland. They were forced to sleep in a cupboard.

Police found blood splattered on settees and walls, despite the house being cleaned.

Abbas was jailed for 11 years, Hussain for nine and Ahmed eight years after all three admitted conspiracy to kidnap and assault the four victims.

Three other Bradford men played a lesser role. Arfan Hedar (23) was jailed for 30months, Kamran Zamir (18) for 18months and Imran Sharazi (23) had his sentencing adjourned until tomorrow, after they admitted one charge of kidnap.

In mitigation, the court heard they were all married, family men who admitted their guilt. Hussain and Ahmed had acted out of loyalty to Abbas.

Hussain, an unemployed dad of seven, had sought solace in alcohol after being jailed for three years for causing a car crash ten years ago that killed his best friend.

Ahmed, a park warden, was a responsible man who had acted out of character.

Judge Jonathon Durham Hall QC described them as an extremely sordid group of men who enjoyed the torture and sex show and left their victims degraded and terrified.

He added: „This was a chilling and wholly incredible departure from the standards expected of residents in England.‰

He formerly commended the police team who brought them to justice.

Detective Superintendent Chris Thompson said: „The victims were forcibly snatched off the streets of Bradford, taken to Oldham and subjected to sadistic torture, ritual humiliation and degrading acts over a number of days.

“This is reflected by a culture of kidnap and extortion that exists amongst drug dealers who operate outside the law. West Yorkshire Police have a moral and statutory responsibility to investigate such cases and are committed to bringing those responsible to justice.”