Six men involved in a £20,000 kidnap demand and serious assault of a man have been jailed.

Cambridge Crown Court heard the group lured their victim by offering him a designer watch for sale at about 7pm on 14 November last year.

They agreed to meet at a car park in Bringhurst, Orton Goldhay, but as the 25-year-old victim sat in his car he was attacked by Luca D’Agostino, 18, and Hamilton De Jesus, 18.

He managed to escape, but was chased and caught before being taken to a nearby property belonging to an innocent member of the public.

Here he was stripped and beaten by the two teenagers and Varldo Aruajo, 27, Jonathan Lukeba 23, and Jordan Bolowa, 25.

Whilst the beating took place, a phone call was made to the victim’s family demanding £20,000 for his release.

Police were called and after some negotiation a ransom of £10,000 was agreed and left in the boot of a parked car in Osier Avenue, Hampton, Peterborough. The ransom was collected and the victim was left tied up in a car at around 5am the following day to be collected by his family.

A police investigation was launched and Bolowa, Lukeba and Araujo were arrested later the same morning. D’Agostino and De Jesus were identified through witness enquiries and forensic examinations along with Jay Couto, 19, who acted as a ‘scout’, helping to organise the kidnapping.

Lukeba, of Delves Way, Hampton, Peterborough, and Araujo, of Osier Avenue, Hampton, Peterborough, both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap on 12 December and were both jailed for nine years.

D’Agostino, of Emperor Way, Peterborough, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap on 23 April and was sentenced to six years.

Couto, of Heron Park, Peterborough, and Balowa, of Delves Way, Hampton, Peterborough, were found guilty following a trial of conspiracy to kidnap on 13 May and sentenced to three years and 12 years respectively.

De Jesus, of Lincoln Road, Peterborough, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap at Cambridge Crown Court on 13 July and was jailed for 10 years.

Detective Sergeant Andy Crocker, from the BCH Major Crime Unit, said: “The sentences given to this group reflect the severity of the crime, which has had a profound effect on the victim, his family and the innocent member of public whose home was invaded during the incident.”

In sentencing, Judge Sean Enright commended case officer DC Rachel Chandler, disclosure officer DC Kevin Hills, analyst Dave Stacey and DS Crocker for their work during the investigation.