Gang who kidnapped man for cryptocurrency jailed

Gang members who kidnapped a man and forced him to handover hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of cryptocurrency have been jailed - after they were tracked down from DNA left on cigarette butts.

Between January and November 2023 the group repeatedly terrorised the victim, holding him against his will, using machetes and a pistol to attack him and drugging him with morphine, Greater Manchester Police said.

The group, who received sentences totally more than 75 years, were caught after police traced their DNA and used mobile phone date to link them to the scene.

The victim was found at an address in Irlam on 2 December after officers received an anonymous tip-off. Police said he had a burn mark on his hand and bruises on his body from where he had been hit with a weapon.

He told officers he had been brought to the property against his will on 30 November with a bag over his head and had been held overnight twice before.

On one occasion he was locked in a cupboard and violently assaulted, police said.

The victim also told officers the group had only let him go after he had paid them currency worth more than £100,000, adding they had visited his home and threatened to assault him if he failed to do so.

During the investigation police seized a gun, a magazine containing three rounds of ammunition, imitation weapons, knives, meat cleavers, a metal baseball bat, a machete, and a hammer.

They also found electrical cables, ropes, and cable ties which were used to restrain the victim.

GMP said the group was identified after documents belonging to one of the men were found at the property. Police were also able to identify DNA from several cigarette butts.

Phone analysis also placed them all at the at the house in Irlam on relevant dates, police said.

The men, who appeared at Manchester Crown Court on Thursday were sentenced as follows:

• Jonathan Newns, 24, from Salford, was jailed for 20 years after he was found guilty of of attempted robbery, false imprisonment, kidnap, and possession of a prohibited firearm

• David Povey, 38, from Whitefield, was jailed for 20 years after he was found guilty of robbery, kidnap, false imprisonment, and attempted robbery

• Luke Johnson, 25, from Eccles, was jailed for 13 years and six months after he was found guilty of attempted robbery, false imprisonment and kidnap

• Gary Edwards, 47, from Cadishead, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and was jailed for 10 years and two months.

• Kane Godiff, 33, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and was jailed for seven years and five months

• Karl Johnson, 35, from Irlam, pleaded guilty to encouraging or assisting an offence of robbery and was jailed for three years

• Scott Armstrong, 39, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to transferring criminal property and was jailed for two years and four months

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