Five men who kidnapped and tortured a 'life-long friend' because they disapproved of a relationship he was in have been jailed for a combined total of 37 years. The victim, aged 21, was dragged from his home in Arleston, Telford, on December 29, 2025, after the gang discovered he was dating a female relative of two of the kidnappers.
Kidnapping and assault
Jawad Hussain, Ehteshan Hussain, Shayyan Hussain and Faheem Chohan forced the victim into the boot of a black Audi A4 at around 2.18pm. They drove through Wellington with the boot open and the victim's feet hanging out. After stopping to close the boot, they continued to a storage unit in Eyton, where the victim was beaten. Haider Ali arrived 20 minutes later in a Volkswagen Passat, leaving after ten minutes. The two vehicles then drove to Lilleshall Golf Club to dump the Audi, with Shayyan transferring to the Volkswagen.
Ali dropped Shayyan and Jawad off in Arleston before returning to the unit to collect Ehteshan and Faheem Chohan, leaving around 3.44pm. The victim was left locked inside the unit, tied to a chair.
Ransom demands and escape
The gang called the victim's family demanding money and threatening to kill him by throwing him off a bridge. Meanwhile, the abandoned Audi was reported to police, and CCTV identified the Volkswagen, leading to Ali's arrest at 4.53pm. Following Ali's arrest, Ehteshan and Shayyan returned to the unit, put the victim in a car, and drove towards north Shropshire. At 9.58pm, police received a call from a takeaway in Whitchurch, where the victim had escaped. He told officers he locked the car doors while his captors were outside and drove to safety using the keys left in the ignition.
Arrests and sentences
The victim identified the four men, leading to the arrests of Jawad, Ehteshan, and Chohan, while Shayyan handed himself in the following day. All four pleaded guilty to kidnap in January 2026. Ali pleaded not guilty but was convicted after a two-week trial in June 2026. At sentencing, the defendants received: Jawad Hussain (21) – seven years; Ehteshan Hussain (22) – seven years and six months; Faheem Chohan (23) – seven years and six months; Shayyan Hussain (24) – seven years and six months; Haider Ali (22) – seven years. A sixth man was found not guilty.
Detective Chief Inspector Lee Holehouse said: “This was a horrifying ordeal for the victim, who was kidnapped by men he had considered friends for much of his life. He was dragged from his home, held against his will, subjected to a violent assault and threatened with death. The actions of these men were both cruel and calculated, and the sentences handed to them reflect the seriousness of their offending. I would like to commend the victim for the courage and resilience he has shown throughout this investigation and court process.”
