A man from Kingsbury has been jailed for nearly seven years, after he threatened to “blow off a man’s head” and hold him to ransom.

Ryan Cahill, 23, of Valley Drive, was one of four men found guilty of violently kidnapping a 38-year-old man in Stanmore, Harrow last year.

The victim was driving home at 2pm on August 15, 2016, when a van rammed into the rear of his vehicle.

The man left his vehicle to inspect the damage, before being assaulted and bundled into the back of the van.

The gang then made threatening phone calls to the victim’s family who demanded they withdraw money from a safety deposit box, at a Metro Bank.

The gang then threatened to “blow off” his head if the family did not comply with their ransom demands.

A final call was made at 9.15pm the next day. No ransom fee was ever exchanged.

When armed police went to an address in Hadley Wood, Barnet, in the early hours of August 17, they found the victim in the basement, bound to a chair with two fractured ribs, a laceration to the left leg, a minor knife wound, cuts, bruises and burn injuries to his wrist caused by the bindings.

He had also been threatened to his face with a blow torch.

Cahill fled the scene, but was later tracked down by the police helicopter in a nearby garden. Two other members of the gang were arrested at the house whilst the final man was arrested on Alexandra Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, on September 6.

The four men were sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court.

Cahill was sentenced to a total of 6 years and 8 months in prison for conspiracy to kidnap, false imprisonment and blackmail.

Barry Penrose, 28, of Lacey Drive, Edgware, will serve a total of 13 years and 5 months for conspiracy to kidnap and false imprisonment, conspiracy to burgle and drugs supply.

Anthimos Tooley, 54, of Alexandra Road was sentenced to a total of 16 years for conspiracy to kidnap, false imprisonment and blackmail.

George Rock, 28, also of Alexandra Road was imprisoned for a total of 9 years and 4 months for conspiracy to kidnap.