Men get eight years for brutal kidnapping
Three men who kidnapped a 64-year-old businessman in Gothenburg have been sentenced to eight years in jail by a court in Gothenburg. The men snatched the pawnbroker outside his house in April; he was later found locked in the trunk of his own car suffering from life-threatening injuries. Five men were charged in relation to the kidnapping, of whom two were cleared of all charges. The three men were convicted of kidnapping, serious assault and incitement to kidnapping and serious assault. Prosecutors had demanded life sentences, but the Gothenburg District Court gave them eight years
A 20-year-old man was convicted for his role in physically kidnapping the pawnbroker. In a written judgment, the court said that more people must have been involved in snatching the man, but that it had not been proven beyond reasonable doubt that the two men acquitted of all charges had taken part in the kidnapping.
The man was found in his car at the Vättlefjäll park in northern Gothenburg with a fractured skull, two broken hands and a number of missing teeth. He had lost a large amount of blood. He was in hospital for a long time, and continues to suffer from the effects of the attack.
The two older men charged with the attack, aged 27 and 28, were convicted of incitement to kidnapping and serious assault.
Evidence against the men included clothes with traces of the victim's blood and a receipt with a fingerprint from another of those charged. The prosecution also produced extensive mobile phone evidence.
"I am pleased that the district court has accepted the evidence against those who planned [the kidnapping]. It is always hard to get a conviction against people who weren't at the scene," said prosecutor Thomas Eliasson.
The victim has been on sick leave since the attack and has wound up his pawnbroking business. He has also sold the house from where he was snatched.
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Five men were charged in relation to the kidnapping, of whom two were cleared of all charges. The three men were convicted of kidnapping, serious assault and incitement to kidnapping and serious assault. Prosecutors had demanded life sentences, but the Gothenburg District Court gave them eight years
A 20-year-old man was convicted for his role in physically kidnapping the pawnbroker. In a written judgment, the court said that more people must have been involved in snatching the man, but that it had not been proven beyond reasonable doubt that the two men acquitted of all charges had taken part in the kidnapping.
The man was found in his car at the Vättlefjäll park in northern Gothenburg with a fractured skull, two broken hands and a number of missing teeth. He had lost a large amount of blood. He was in hospital for a long time, and continues to suffer from the effects of the attack.
The two older men charged with the attack, aged 27 and 28, were convicted of incitement to kidnapping and serious assault.
Evidence against the men included clothes with traces of the victim's blood and a receipt with a fingerprint from another of those charged. The prosecution also produced extensive mobile phone evidence.
"I am pleased that the district court has accepted the evidence against those who planned [the kidnapping]. It is always hard to get a conviction against people who weren't at the scene," said prosecutor Thomas Eliasson.
The victim has been on sick leave since the attack and has wound up his pawnbroking business. He has also sold the house from where he was snatched.
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