Birmingham Cousins Found Guilty in Horrific Kidnap and Torture Case
Two cousins from Birmingham have been convicted for their involvement in a brutal kidnapping plot that saw a man tortured and left with life-changing injuries. Miles Blakeney and Luke Hazell, both aged 37, were found guilty at Birmingham Crown Court for their roles in the £3 million abduction scheme that shocked the local community.
The Violent Abduction and Captivity
The horrific ordeal began just before 8pm on 21 January 2023, when a Land Rover pulled onto Anglesey Street in Lozells. A group of men wearing balaclavas jumped from the vehicle and chased down their victim, a man in his 20s, before bundling him into the car. They removed his coat and placed a cover over his head as they transported him approximately two miles to a flat in Edgbaston.
A relative of the victim contacted police just after 8.10pm to report the kidnapping. Shortly afterward, the victim himself managed to call another relative from a withheld number, sounding deeply distressed as he revealed: "They have kidnapped me, they have kidnapped me. They want money. They want three mill (£3m)."
Torture and Failed Escape Attempt
During his captivity, the victim attempted to escape when one of his captors fell asleep, hitting the guard with a vodka bottle. Unfortunately, this escape attempt failed, leading to even more severe treatment. Over the following days, the victim was tied up and had boiling water poured over him in what police described as a prolonged period of torture.
The nightmare finally ended just before 10pm on 26 January when the victim was dumped naked and injured on a road in Winson Green. A member of the public discovered him and immediately raised the alarm, allowing emergency services to provide urgent medical attention.
Police Investigation and Convictions
West Midlands Police's Major Crime Unit launched an extensive investigation into the kidnapping. Through meticulous analysis of mobile phone data, vehicle movements, and advanced DNA techniques, detectives were able to identify Hazell as the organizer of the kidnapping and Blakeney as the person in charge of the flat where the victim was held captive.
At Birmingham Crown Court, Hazell of Dovedale Road, Birmingham, and Blakeney of Ashley Close, Birmingham, were convicted of multiple serious offences including conspiracy to kidnap, false imprisonment, blackmail, and wounding with intent. Both men are scheduled to be sentenced on 27 March.
Police Statement on the Case
Detective Inspector Francis Nock of the Major Crime Unit commented on the severity of the case: "This was an horrific ordeal for the victim, who was left with life-changing injuries after a prolonged period of being held against his will and effectively tortured. The gang was willing to use extreme violence, and their victim will live with that for the rest of his life."
He further explained: "While neither Blakeney or Hazell physically kidnapped the victim, Blakeney was at the flat when he arrived, and Hazell went to the flat after the victim tried to escape and personally inflicted the injuries on him. A huge amount of work went into identifying the kidnappers and piecing together their movements, through painstaking trawls of mobile phone data, vehicle movements, and other witness evidence has secured these convictions."
The conviction of these two Birmingham cousins represents a significant victory for West Midlands Police in their ongoing efforts to combat serious organized crime in the region. The case highlights the devastating impact such violent crimes have on victims and their families, while demonstrating the sophisticated investigative techniques now available to law enforcement agencies.
