Gang of five jailed for 101 years after two men tortured over ‘hidden cash’

They targeted the detached home of taxi boss Chris Davidson in Willerby, near Hull, in March, subjecting both Mr Davidson and his housemate Neil Collingham to a terrifying ordeal that lasted over an hour.

Mr Collingham was beaten up in Mr Davidson’s presence and had his ears slashed - one was nearly cut off - and when their pet bulldog Feisty started barking, it too was stabbed.

Mr Davidson was stabbed through his ear into the side of his head and in his leg and was told he would “f****** die and your mate’s ears are coming off.”

Refusing to believe Mr Davidson that the safe was in fact in his office, they tried to cut off his little finger, and then pushed him onto the kitchen floor, which was covered in bleach. After he tried to escape one of the gang cut deep into his leg severing his Achilles tendon, crippling him and leaving him drenched in blood.

David Llewellyn, 29, John Tuffey, 28, Daniel Jones, 26, and Mark Platt, 30, all from Merseyside, were each sentenced to 22 years in jail after pleading guilty to aggravated burglary and two charges of wounding with intent. Jamie Hayes, 30, who had acted as look out and driver, was sentenced to 13 years for aggravated burglary. Judge Jeremy Richardson told Hull Crown Court it was one of the worst cases he had ever come across. He said: “Each of you has previous convictions for violence of one kind or another and dishonesty. Each of you is a practised criminal.”

Mr Davidson, who the court was told may never fully recover from his injuries, said he was “relieved beyond measure” that the men were behind bars. He said: “What they did was brutal and savage. It was terrifying. To torture another human being for the sake of money I find difficult to comprehend. I genuinely believed myself, Neil and Feisty would not come through this ordeal and see the morning.”