Two jailed for St Albans kidnapping
In October 2019, the victim was was bundled into a car and then assaulted, before managing to escape
Two men have been sentenced to more than nine years in prison for their involvement in the kidnapping of a man in St Albans. The sentencing took place at St Albans Crown Court on Monday, 23 September, following a six-week trial earlier this year.
The kidnapping incident occurred on 3 October 2019, when a man in his twenties was forcibly taken into a car on Colney Street around 12:05 p.m. The victim, who was known to the kidnappers, was assaulted before escaping and hiding in a nearby garden. The incident was linked to an aggravated burglary reported two days prior.
After a lengthy investigation by the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, five individuals were arrested and charged in connection with the incident. The five defendants included Macauley Anderson, aged 29, of Leighton Buzzard; Samad Ali, aged 26, of Kent; Lianna Mazzarelli, aged 23, of Dunstable; Ayaz Khan, aged 20, of Luton; and Amie Kemp, aged 22, of Luton.
All five pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including conspiracy to kidnap, grievous bodily harm (GBH), threats to kill, assisting an offender, and possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence.
In April 2024, a jury delivered majority verdicts. Ali was found guilty of kidnap and GBH, while Anderson, Mazzarelli, and Khan were convicted of kidnap and assisting an offender. Kemp was acquitted of all charges. All defendants were acquitted of the firearm possession and threats to kill charges.
On Monday, the court handed down the following sentences:
Macauley Anderson, was sentenced to four years and four months, comprising three years and four months for kidnap and two years for assisting an offender, to be served concurrently, with an additional one month for failing to attend court, to be served consecutively.
Samad Ali, received five years, consisting of five years for kidnap and four years for GBH, to be served concurrently. The sentence will begin after he completes a current 12-year sentence, with two-thirds of the new sentence to be served in custody.
Lianna Mazzarelli, was sentenced to two years, suspended for 18 months, alongside 15 rehabilitation days and a five-month curfew monitored by an electronic tag from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Ayaz Khan, received a two-year sentence for kidnap and a one-year sentence for assisting an offender, to be served concurrently. Both were suspended for 18 months. He must also complete 35 rehabilitation days and serve a five-month curfew under electronic monitoring from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
A fifth defendant did appear at court and was cleared by the jury.
Detective Sergeant Robert Muir of the Major Crime Unit said, "I am pleased that Anderson, Ali, Mazzarelli, and Khan will face justice for the role they played in this distressing kidnap. This was a complex investigation and, due to a number of factors, has taken five years to reach sentencing. The officers involved in this case should be credited for their tenacious work and ensuring the offenders were brought to justice."
Anyone with information related to this or similar incidents can report it online at herts.police.uk/report, use the online web chat at herts.police.uk/contact, or call 101. Information can also be provided anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or through their online form at crimestoppers-uk.org.