A criminal gang who kidnapped a vulnerable man in Irlam for cryptocurrency have been jailed for 76 years.
Several men have been found guilty at Manchester Crown Court today (Thursday 30 January) after they violently assaulted and tied up the victim on multiple occasions.
Those found guilty were sentenced for their roles, which include Jonathan Newns (13/05/2000) of Salix Court, Whitebeam Close, Salford who has been jailed for 20 years.
Newns was found guilty of two counts of attempted robbery, two counts of false imprisonment, kidnap, and possession of a prohibited firearm.
David Povey (27/07/1986) of Dalebeck Close, Whitefield, was found guilty of robbery, kidnap, false imprisonment, and attempted robbery, and has been jailed for 20 years.
Luke Johnson (29/10/1999) of Southway, Eccles, was found guilty of two counts of attempted robbery, two counts of false imprisonment, and two counts of kidnap, and has been jailed for 13 years and six months.
Gary Edwards (28/10/1977) of Cumberland Avenue, Cadishead, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, he has also been jailed for ten years and two months.
Kane Godiff (14/07/1991) of no fixed abode pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, and has been jailed for seven years and five months.
Karl Johnson (24/07/1989) of Egret Drive, Irlam, pleaded guilty to two counts of encouraging or assisting an offence of robbery, and has been sentenced to three years.
Scott Armstrong (06/08/1985) of no fixed abode pleaded guilty to two counts of transferring criminal property, and has been jailed for two years and four months.
The sentencing follows an anonymous call that Salford police received on 2 December 2023, with someone reporting concerns for welfare at a flat in Irlam.
Upon attending, police saw a man running away from the address, asking the officer at the scene “can you take me with you?’.
The victim had explained that the group of men brought him to the property against his will with a bag over his head.
Following the report, officers searched the address and found a dressing gown strap, which had been tied to the bed, along with electrical cables.
The victim also had a burn mark on his hand, and bruises on his body from where he had been hit with a weapon.
Detectives uncovered that the victim had acquired hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of cryptocurrency which the defendants sought to steal through use of violence, kidnap, and false imprisonment.
Salford GMP immediately launched a criminal investigation from the address, and recovered more weapons.
During the search police were able to seize a viable firearm, a magazine containing three rounds of ammunition, an imitation firearm and an air pistol, electrical cables, as well as ropes, and cable ties which were used to restrain the victim.
They also uncovered knives, meat cleavers, a metal baseball bat, a machete, and a hammer.
Police also found documents belonging to one of members, Karl Johnson, and several cigarette butts which had DNA from both Karl and Luke Johnson.
The victim said he did not know who was doing this to him but explained that similar incidents had happened several months earlier – but they had let him go as he had paid them over £100,000.
Throughout the investigation, Salford detectives also identified that the victim had been terrorised by the men previously on several occasions.
The criminal gang had demanded crypto currency, multiple times between January 2023 and November 2023 – using machetes and a pistol to assault him, and even drugging him with morphine on one occasion.
When the victim couldn’t pay immediately, they kept him restrained all night, subjecting him to violent assaults, and locked him in a cupboard.
On one incident, in October 2023, the victim went to an address in Cadishead, if he didn’t pay another member of the gang, Kane Godiff, told him he would be killed, but after they received the money, the victim was freed.
Salford GMP were also able to see through phone analysis, it identified that the defendants were in contact in the nights leading up to the first kidnap.
Similarly, after police located the victim, Jonathan Newns, David Povey, and Karl Johnson were all in regular contact with one another, with cell site analysis also placing them all at the house on Egret Drive on the dates of kidnap.
The several men have all been found guilty and sentenced to a combine 79 years for their involvement in the kidnap of the victim.
Following the sentencing, Investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Stephanie Bowling, said: “This was a challenging investigation which has thankfully resulted in these dangerous offenders being removed from the streets for a significant amount of time.
“While I know that this sentence won’t change or takeaway from the trauma that our victim was subjected to.
“I sincerely hope that it helps him move forward with his life, safe in the knowledge that these men are now behind bars.”
This was continued by Detective Inspector Justin Bryant from Salford district said: “These men showed a concerning propensity for violence and weren’t afraid to use a variety of formidable weapons to get what they want.
“I’d like to commend the victim for his bravery, and I hope he continues to recover from this experience.”
DI Bryant continued: “I not only hope that this sentencing acts as a deterrent to anyone who may be considering such violence.
“I hope it reassures the communities of Greater Manchester that we will use all specialist resources and skills catch harmful offenders.”
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