Two jailed over fake kidnap plot

Two men have been jailed for their part in a fake blackmail and kidnap plot.

Bristol Crown Court heard how Simon and Michael Henry - who are unrelated - went along with a plan hatched by Kalpit Patel, who owed Simon £10,000.

After getting into a car with the men in Bristol, Mr Patel called his family to tell them his life was in danger unless they paid a "ransom".

Both Henrys, from Coventry, were jailed for 22 months. Mr Patel did not face any charges over the blackmail plot.

The court was told how on 9 August 2007 Mr Patel went to meet Simon Henry in the car park of Tesco in Eastville, Bristol.

They discussed how he could repay £10,000 Simon Henry had given him to buy a car, which was later repossessed because the finance had not been paid.

Fake gun threat

Mr Patel got into a car with Simon Henry, 23, Michael Henry, 22, and Arden Campbell, 21, also from Coventry, and told them he was finding it difficult to find the money.

The court heard that Mr Patel eventually rang his brother Preash and mother Shobhanabon and told them he had been kidnapped and needed the money for his safe release.

Stephen Mooney, prosecuting, said the Henrys were initially angry that Mr Patel had lied but then realised that the kidnap plot was a way of raising the money owed to them.

"So they willingly allowed the pretence to continue, issuing threats to Mr Patel's family over the telephone," said Mr Mooney.

At one point one of the Henrys told Preash Patel they had a gun to his brother's head, the court was told.

Campbell, who drove the car, was given a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years, after admitting aiding and abetting the blackmail.

He was also ordered to serve 90 hours' community service.

Sentencing, Judge John Foley said: "The victims here were the mother and brother of Mr Patel and they were in genuine fear of his safety.

"It is proper and a valid point to distinguish that the idea came from the victim and the defendants latched on to that idea.

"This was not pre-meditated, it was on the spur of the moment."