Siblings in guilty pleas over street kidnap bid

Sarah Harrison, 35, was targeted as she left her workplace in Blackburn as the family sought to discover where she and her partner Nazma Ditta, 27, were living.

CCTV captured the fierce struggle that Miss Harrison put up as she fended off attempts to bundle her into a car in broad daylight on June 20.

She was confronted by sisters Atfah Ditta, 32, and Ghazala Ditta, 31, who got out of a parked silver Toyota Corolla car.

They were joined by another sister, Nighat Morris, 38, and brother Tahmoor Ditta, 26, who produced a metal tool which he brandished at a colleague of Miss Harrison.

The three women then assaulted Miss Harrison who was dragged around by her hair and kicked as they tried to force her into the car, Lancashire Police said.

The victim was repeatedly punched but she managed to prevent herself being dragged into the car by holding on to its sides.

She was left standing at the side of the road as the group got back into their vehicle and drove away.

In the days leading up to the attack, members of the Ditta family had confronted the victim at her workplace and asked her about the whereabouts of her partner.

They also asked her work colleagues about where she parked her car and waited at various locations for her to leave work.

Yesterday, ahead of a scheduled trial at Preston Crown Court, Tahmoor Ditta, Ghazala Ditta and Atfah Ditta, all of Blackburn, and Nighat Morris, of Bolton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit actual bodily harm, attempted kidnap and robbery. Tahmoor Ditta also admitted assault and possession of an offensive weapon. All four were remanded in custody.

Two other sisters, Tosif Ditta, 35, and Nayyar Mehmood, 37, both of Blackburn, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit actual bodily harm.

The children’s mother, Rani Ditta, 55, of Blackburn, had been charged with conspiracy to kidnap but the prosecution offered no evidence against her

Sentencing will take place on January 24.