Birmingham Cousins Receive Lengthy Prison Sentences for Horrific Kidnap and Torture
Two cousins from Birmingham have been handed substantial prison terms totaling 26 years for their involvement in a brutal kidnap and torture case that left a young man with permanent, life-altering injuries. The violent abduction and subsequent ordeal unfolded over several days in the Edgbaston area, with the victim subjected to extreme cruelty before being abandoned on the street.
Sentencing Details and Convictions
At Birmingham Crown Court, Luke Hazell, aged 37 and residing on Dovedale Road, Birmingham, was sentenced to 16 years imprisonment. His cousin, Miles Blakeney, also 37 and from Ashley Close, Birmingham, received a 10-year jail term. Both men were convicted in January of multiple serious offenses, including conspiracy to kidnap, false imprisonment, blackmail, and wounding with intent.
The court heard that neither defendant directly participated in the initial physical abduction but played crucial roles in the subsequent captivity and torture. Blakeney was present at the flat where the victim was held, while Hazell arrived after an escape attempt and personally inflicted injuries on the captive.
Details of the Kidnap and Torture Ordeal
The horrific incident began on the evening of January 21, 2023, when a Land Rover pulled onto Anglesey Street in Lozells. A group of masked men emerged from the vehicle, chased down the victim—a man in his twenties—forced him into the car, removed his coat, and covered his head. The vehicle was then driven approximately two miles to a flat in Edgbaston.
Shortly after 8:10 PM, a relative of the victim contacted police to report the kidnapping. The victim himself later managed to call another relative from a withheld number, sounding extremely distressed as he revealed, "They have kidnapped me, they have kidnapped me. They want money. They want three mill (£3m)."
In the early hours of the following day, the victim attempted to escape when his guard fell asleep, striking his captor with a vodka bottle but ultimately failing to break free. Over the subsequent days, he was tied up and had boiling water poured over him before being dumped on the street badly injured just before 10 PM on January 26. A member of the public discovered him and raised the alarm.
Police Investigation and Evidence
West Midlands Police's Major Crime Unit conducted an extensive investigation that utilized mobile phone data analysis, vehicle movement tracking, and DNA techniques to identify and link Hazell and Blakeney to the crime. The investigation revealed that Hazell had organized the kidnap, while Blakeney was responsible for the flat where the victim was held.
Evidence also uncovered previous attempts to kidnap the victim, with text messages exchanged between the cousins. In one exchange, Blakeney asked Hazell, "Did you go there?" to which Hazell replied, "They waited for the geezer, will try again tomorrow."
Police Statement on the Case
Detective Inspector Francis Nock of the Major Crime Unit stated, "This was an horrific ordeal for the victim, who was left with life-changing injuries after a prolonged period of being held against his will and effectively tortured. The gang was willing to use extreme violence, and their victim will live with that for the rest of his life."
He added, "A huge amount of work went into identifying the kidnappers and piecing together their movements. Painstaking trawls of mobile phone data, vehicle movements, and other witness evidence have secured these convictions."
The sentencing brings closure to a disturbing case that highlights the severe consequences of violent crime in Birmingham, with both perpetrators now facing lengthy prison terms for their brutal actions.
