Cousins Sentenced for Brutal Kidnapping and Torture in Failed £3 Million Extortion Plot
Two cousins described as 'sadistic' have received substantial prison sentences for orchestrating the kidnapping and brutal torture of a man in a plot to extort £3 million from his family in Birmingham.
Violent Abduction and Captivity
The horrific ordeal began in January 2023 when Luke Hazell, aged 38 from Perry Common, masterminded a plan that saw a balaclava-clad group snatch the victim from Anglesey Street in Lozells at approximately 7pm. The man was forced into a Range Rover and transported to a flat at Eanwulf Court in Edgbaston, where he was held captive for five agonizing days.
During his imprisonment, the victim endured what Judge Kerry Maylin described as 'extreme violence and ultimate degradation.' He was bound with tape over his mouth, beaten repeatedly with weapons, had the tip of his finger sliced off with a knife, and suffered severe burns to his legs and feet from what investigators believe was boiling water.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court, Hazell was found guilty of conspiracy to kidnap, false imprisonment, blackmail, and causing grievous bodily harm with intent. On Friday, March 27, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison and branded 'dangerous,' resulting in an extended five-year licence period upon release.
His cousin Miles Blakeney, also 38 from Edgbaston, was convicted of the same offences for his role in procuring the flat where the victim was detained. Blakeney received a ten-year prison sentence for facilitating what prosecutor Lucinda Wilmott-Lascelles characterized as 'torture and sadistic conduct' designed to humiliate and degrade the victim.
Failed Extortion and Discovery
The kidnappers made repeated demands for £3 million from the victim's family, with particular pressure directed toward his sister. However, the plot unraveled when Blakeney grew concerned about the ongoing detention. On January 26, 2023, the victim was dumped naked on Perrot Road in Winson Green, where members of the public discovered him and alerted emergency services.
Residents of Eanwulf Court had reported hearing crying and sounds resembling furniture being thrown during the victim's captivity, with one witness overhearing someone pleading, 'Stop it, don't do it.'
Criminal Histories and Defense Arguments
Hazell has eleven previous convictions for thirty-five offences, with a probation report revealing his juvenile association with the notorious Burger Bar Boys gang from Handsworth. Defense barrister John Cooper KC argued that despite his drug dealing history, Hazell had no prior convictions for physical violence and was described by family members as a 'loving, caring and committed father.'
Blakeney had twelve previous convictions for eighteen offences, primarily drug-related in recent years. His defense counsel Piers Mostyn emphasized that Blakeney did not personally inflict violence on the victim and was not present at the flat during the torture. Mostyn noted Blakeney's previous employment as a forklift driver at Jaguar Land Rover, his role as a father, and his participation in educational programs while incarcerated.
The court heard that Hazell had meticulously planned the abduction, recruiting four unidentified accomplices for the kidnapping in addition to his cousin's assistance in securing the detention location. Multiple failed attempts preceded the successful abduction from Lozells.
