40 years for gang who tortured boy, 16, over 'drug debt'

The teenage victim was kidnapped while walking home in the Harehills area of the city after visiting a local fast food restaurant.

He was then taken to an address where he was burned with an iron and scalded with boiling water over a five-hour period as part of a "drugs debt".

During this time his brother was repeatedly contacted by the kidnappers who demanded a 20,000 ransom and threatened to cut off the victim's fingers unless it was paid.

The four men were jailed on Thursday at Leeds Crown Court after admitting carrying out the horrific attack.

Shaheed Rahman, 24, of Harehills Avenue, Leeds, was sentenced to 12 years, nine months, Syed Ahmed, 24, of Park Holme, Harehills, Leeds, was sentenced to 12 years, while Shuel Ali Hussain, 28, of Karnac Road, Leeds was jailed for 10 years.

Abdul Rajaque, 29, of Shepherd's Place, Leeds was jailed for five years and three months.

A fifth man, Hassan Ahmed, 25, also of Karnac Road, Leeds, will be sentenced at a later date.

Shaheed Rahman and Syed Ahmed both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to blackmail. Brothers Shuel Hussain and Hassan Ahmed along with Abdul Rajaque pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit blackmail.

Speaking after the case, Detective Superintendent Bill Shackleton said: "This was a deeply traumatic experience for the young man who was taken hostage, and also for those members of his family who were obliged to deal with the demands made by the kidnappers. The fact that a 16-year-old young man was needlessly tortured with a hot steam iron and by having red hot water poured onto his skin made this offence all the more despicable."