Eight people to appear before Newcastle Crown Court over alleged South Tyneside kidnap plot

Eight people appeared at South Tyneside Magsitrates’ Court on Wednesday, October 25, over an alleged kidnap plot in South Tyneside.

On Monday, October 23, Northumbria Police’s Crime Department executed a number of dawn raids at multiple addresses across South Shields.

It followed a report that a number of people had been held against their will at an address in the borough, and seriously assaulted on September 20.

As a result of the raids, eight men and two women, all aged between 24 and 37, were arrested on suspicion of false imprisonment, blackmail and assault.

Eight people were all charged with false imprisonment, conspiracy to assault and conspiracy to blackmail following the arrests - with two others also being charged with theft.

They are as follows:

• Craig Seales, 37,of Rembrandt Avenue in South Shields.
• Kasim Thompson, 34, of Cedar Grove in South Shields.
• Jonathon Mason, 35, of Pine Avenue in South Shields.
• Iain Sutherland, 33, of Hudson Street in South Shields.
• Grant Maclean, 24, of Bluebell Way in South Shields.
• Jonathan Ferguson, 30, of Quary Lane in South Shields.
• Daniel Lake, 32, of Landseer Gardens in South Shields - he was also charged with theft.
• Samantha Olsen, 36, of Sheridan Road in South Shields - she was also charged with theft.

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All eight defendants have been remanded in custody until they next appear at Newcastle Crown Court on November 22.

Northumbria Police has also confirmed that a 29-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman have been released on bail pending further inquiries.

If you have information that may assist the investigation, please contact officers by calling 101 or using the ‘Tell us Something’ page on the Northumbria Police website quoting log NP-20230921-0543.

Alternatively, you can contact independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111.