Five more jailed in South Shields 'torture' blackmail plot

Three men were held in a lock-up, off Fowler Street, on September 18 last year and subjected to horrifying levels of violence while money was demanded from them and their families.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the victims' screams from behind the locked shutter doors were picked up by CCTV cameras in the surrounding streets.

The attackers used blow torches, corrosive liquids, a shovel and sledgehammer to inflict or threaten violence on the captives, who were also verbally abused.

Two of the victims, who were brothers, were left so traumatised that they and their entire family packed up and relocated to another part of the country after their release.

One of them said in a statement said they believed they were "at the end of life" in the garage, which he said was dirty and smelled.

He added: "In my head I thought it was the sort of place people get tortured in, like something from a movie.

"There were weapons laid out on the table, acid or ammonia, sledgehammers, knives, Bunsen burners.

"My brother was already hurt and crying and I knew immediately I was going to get hurt too."

Prosecutor Richard Wright KC said organised criminal activity and the trade of controlled drugs were behind the torture plot and said: "Audio footage from the lanes outside recorded the sound and even on those outside cameras, with the shutters down, noises of torture and screams of the victims were observed to be heard."

The court heard Seales was the "de facto owner" of the garage premises the men were kept in and he orchestrated the offences, with Daniel Lake being the "driving force" to get the victims to the lock up, with the help of Samantha Olsen.

Others attended the garage while the victims were being held there.

The demands for money started at £10,000 but that was "revised upwards" during the ordeal.

Mr Wright added that while blow torches and other weapons were used and the victims did require hospital treatment afterwards, the injuries, which included black eyes, broken ribs and burns, were not of the most serious level and the purpose of the defendants was to "instil terror" so they paid up.

They were ultimately allowed to leave, with a warning they must pay £20,000 within days but the police then became involved.

A total of nine people admitted involvement.

Earlier this week Judge Amanda Rippon sentenced Craig Seales to a total of ten years and four months and Kasim Thompson was locked up for nine years.

Today, the same judge jailed Iain Sutherland for nine years and six months, Grant Maclean for nine years and three months, Samantha Olsen for eight years and six months, Jonathon Mason for 15 months and Liam Price for 15 months.

Seales, 37, of Rembrandt Avenue, Lake, 33, of Landseer Gardens, Olsen, 36, of Sheridan Road, Jonathon Ferguson, 31, of Quarry Lane, Sutherland, 33, of Marigold Walk, Thompson, 35, of Cedar Grove and Maclean, 25, of Bluebell Way, all South Shields, all pleaded guilty to two counts of false imprisonment and blackmail.

Olsen admitted unrelated charges of money laundering and cheating the revenue.

Ferguson admitted unrelated charges of common assault and criminal damage.

Mason, 35, of Pine Avenue and Price, 30, of Oak Avenue, also South Shields, both pleaded guilty to affray.

Lake and Ferguson will be sentenced at a later date.

Glenn Gatland, defending Seales, said the garage worker has not been involved in supply of class A drugs and added: "All the evidence in the case does not indicate he used any violence at all.

"He could hear screams but he wasn't involved in inflicting any of that."

The court heard Lake has been employed as a cleaner while in prison on remand, plans to move away after his release and has offshore qualifications.

He admitted being involved in a "scuffle" at the garage.

Robin Patton, defending Olsen, said she is "vulnerable" and "does not have the wherewithal to say no".

Mr Patton added: "She wasn't present when the violence took place, she wasn't expected to be, she was expected to be a driver."

Jane Foley, defending Sutherland, who was a mechanic at Seales' garage, said: "This wasn't his argument, he wasn't involved in the background to the commission of this offence. He's not a drug dealer, he didn't know the complainants.

"He involved himself to lend support to the argument involving others."

Susan Hirst, defending Thompson, said he had "significantly less involvement" than others and handed in multiple character references.

Miss Hirst added that Thompson has a good work record and added: "He accepts he should never have become involved and deeply regrets what he did."

Fiona Lamb, defending Maclean, said he was not at the garage throughout the time the victims were held there and has shown remorse.

Miss Lamb handed in character references in relation to Maclean.

Helen Towers, defending Mason and Price, who worked in the garage next door to the lockup where the men were held, said the men had a peripheral role in what happened with the victims.

Miss Towers said they both accept their presence itself was a threat to the victims and added: "They would like to continue their work as mechanics, far away from this garage."

David Callan, defending Ferguson, said his client is "quiet and withdrawn", "easily led", handed in several character references and added: "He knew nothing of any drug dealings, he knew nothing of any issues."