Man Tortured in Flat During Failed £3 Million Ransom Demand
Two men are standing trial at Birmingham Crown Court accused of a vicious kidnap and torture plot where a man was held captive for five days and had boiling water poured on his feet. Luke Hazell, 37, from Dovedale Road, Perry Common, and Miles Blakeney, 37, from Ashley Close, Edgbaston, deny charges including conspiracy to kidnap, false imprisonment, blackmail, and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Five-Day Ordeal Ends with Dramatic Street Rescue
The court heard that the victim, an Asian man whose identity is protected, was chased by a group of men on Angelsey Street in Lozells on the evening of January 21, 2023. He was forcibly bundled into a Land Rover and driven to a flat at Eanwulf Court on Wheeleys Road, Edgbaston. Prosecutor Jonathan Barker stated that the man was then falsely imprisoned and subjected to violence.
Approximately an hour after the kidnap, the victim's sister began receiving calls. While in the presence of police officers, she received a 'silent call' from her brother's number, followed by multiple calls from a withheld number. In one call, the victim was heard saying, 'I've been kidnapped', and in another, he stated, 'They want money, they want 2 mill, no they want 3 mill'.
The ordeal ended five days later, on January 26, 2023, when a female motorist discovered the victim naked, injured, and pleading for help on Perrott Road in Winson Green. He told her he had been kidnapped and that his feet had been burned. When police arrived, he explained his captors had poured boiling water on his legs and feet, which were later found to have suffered 2nd, 3rd, and 4th degree burns.
Prosecution Points to DNA and WhatsApp Evidence
Opening the case on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, Mr Barker outlined the evidence against the defendants. CCTV footage was played to the jury showing the kidnap and the Land Rover's journey to the Edgbaston flat. The prosecutor alleged that Blakeney was one of four men seen at the building and that he had knowingly facilitated the imprisonment.
The court was told that a resident in the flat below reported hearing disturbing noises between 3am and 4am on the night of January 21, including loud banging, crying, shouting, and someone pleading 'don't do it'.
Mr Barker stated that a BMW 4x4 owned by Hazell was seen arriving at the flat block shortly after 4am. Following the victim's rescue, Hazell was arrested on January 27, and Blakeney was arrested on February 13, 2023.
The prosecution presented several key pieces of evidence:
- DNA evidence linking both Hazell and the victim to a pair of black gloves found in Hazell's BMW.
- A 'significant' WhatsApp conversation between Hazell and his cousin Blakeney, who is known as 'Sosa'.
- Messages suggesting Hazell had attempted to kidnap the same man on previous occasions that month.
Mr Barker told the jury, "The prosecution case is Mr Hazell appears to be the genesis, the brains behind the idea to kidnap. He needed to recruit others, those others included Mr Blakeney."
Both defendants deny the charges. Hazell claimed he did not know the flat or the victim, while Blakeney said he was at his mother's home celebrating his birthday on the day of the kidnap and denied knowing his cousin, Hazell. The trial continues.
