Kidnap victim stripped naked and forced to film video urging family to pay ransom
Two men who kidnapped their victim and forced him to film a video begging his family to pay a ransom have been found guilty by a jury.
Mark Pearce and Donald Hammond bundled the man into the van and drove him to a caravan on a field near to Sandy Lane in Stockton.
While inside the van, his hands and feet were bound with cable ties and tape covered his eyes and mouth.
Pearce, 52, and Hammond, 43, both denied their involvement in the crime but were found guilty following a two-week trial at Teesside Crown Court.
During the trial, the court heard how the victim was stripped naked, beaten and then forced to film a video for his family to pay a ransom.
Footage played to the court showed a black Mercedes, which had been hired from London, following Pearce’s Land Rover onto the field where the caravan was stationed.
Hammond, of Papermill Place in London, denied that it was him travelling from London to Stockton. However, mobile phone data showed him in the area.
Pearce, of Honeycomb Avenue in Stockton, denied being in the Land Rover and instead claimed he was busy racing pigeons at his allotment.
However, CCTV and mobile phone data led to them being found guilty.
Detective Constable Jonathan Pain, from Stockton CID, said: “Firstly, I want to recognise the courage that has been shown by the victim throughout this process following the unimaginable ordeal he was put through by these men. I hope this verdict can provide him some comfort going forward.
“During the trial, Pearce claimed he was merely racing his pigeons. Yet there was a considerable amount of material presented to the jury that disputed this, including CCTV and mobile phone data. Thankfully, they saw through the smokescreen of his pigeon defence and found him guilty by a unanimous verdict.
“Hammond travelled up from London in a Mercedes that was seen on CCTV throughout the day, with Pearce’s vehicle going to and from the location where the victim was held. The jury also did not believe his account on how his DNA came to be on items left at the scene.
“This was a highly sophisticated plot with national and international elements.”