A trio of criminals have been convicted for their roles in the kidnap and torture of a Leeds man.
The Homicide and Major Enquiry Team has welcomed the sentencing of Connor McCarthy, aged 33, Joshua Spreadbury, aged 31, and Kathleen McKeown, aged 21, from Leeds District for offences against a victim in Leeds in May 2022.
The three joined two other men previously sentenced for their part in the crime which saw the victim bundled into a van and tortured with a blowtorch.
Spreadbury of Malvern Street, Holbeck was jailed for 12 years or offences kidnap and section 18 assault.
McCarthy of Cow Close Road was jailed for 13 years for offences of kidnap and section 18 assault.
McKeown, of Robin Lane, Pudsey was given a two year suspended sentence for an offence of kidnap.
The three had been found guilty by a jury of their offences following a trial at Leeds Crown Court in July.
They were all charged with the offending in December 2023 as part of a wide ranging police investigation into offences committed against the then 27-year-old male victim on 4 May 2022.
During proceedings, the court heard that the victim had been lured to meet defendants on Lawn Lane, Farnley, during the evening of 4 May. On arriving there he was he was assaulted and bundled into the back of the van.
The victim was detained in the van for some 19 hours and received significant injuries due to him being assaulted with weapons, including a blow torch.
The vehicle he was in was located by officers in Bramley during the afternoon of 5 May, following police enquires. The victim was rescued from it and the driver, Carl Beaumont, aged 38, of South Drive, Farsley was arrested from the scene.
He and a Kieron Gavin, aged 33, were jailed in earlier proceedings in January 2023 after both admitted their roles as part of the kidnap gang.
Gavin was jailed for 13 years, six months for kidnap and section 18 wounding while Beaumont was sentenced to eight years, six months for kidnap.
Detective Inspector Dan Townend of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said:
“We welcome the sentencing of these three defendants today for their roles in what was a dreadful offence in which a victim was tortured with weapons and badly injured.
“We know he was lured to Lawn Lane and bundled into a van before being subjected to repeated assaults in a 19 hour ordeal. It is difficult to imagine what thoughts must have passed through the victim’s head during this ordeal.”
He added: “These five individuals have been jailed following a complex investigation carried out with partners within Protective Services Crime and across West Yorkshire Police.
“We hope these convictions will bring some comfort to the victim and demonstrate to those engaged in such criminality that all necessary specialist resources will be used to bring you to justice.”
This post is based on a press release issued by West Yorkshire Police
Photo: Joshua Spreadbury
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