A borough man has been sentenced for his part in a gang kidnapping which targeted a vulnerable victim as they sought to steal hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of cryptocurrency.
The victim was drugged and subjected to horrific abuse using various weapons.
On December 2, 2023, police received an anonymous call reporting concerns for welfare at a flat on Egret Drive in Irlam.
As they arrived, police saw a man running away from the address who was later identified as Karl Johnson.
They gained entrance and identified a victim who asked the officer, “Can you take me with you?”.
The man explained that he had been brought to this property against his will with a bag over his head.
He said that he had been violently assaulted and tied up.
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Police 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.
An investigation was immediately launched by the criminal investigation department in Salford and police recovered more weapons from the Irlam address.
They included a viable firearm, a magazine containing three rounds of ammunition, an imitation firearm and an air pistol, electrical cables, ropes, and cable ties which were used to restrain the victim, knives, meat cleavers, a metal baseball bat, a machete and a hammer.
Police also found documents belonging to Karl Johnson and several cigarette butts which had DNA from Karl and Luke Johnson.
The victim said he did not know who was doing this to him.
He explained that similar incidents had happened several months earlier but that he had been let go as he had paid them more than £100,000.
As the investigation developed, detectives identified that these men had terrorised the victim on several occasions, demanding cryptocurrency, using machetes and a pistol to assault him and even drugging him with morphine on one occasion.
In January 2023, the victim was at home when he heard a knock on his door.
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The man at the door threatened to assault him if he did not transfer cryptocurrency to Scott Armstrong. The victim transferred the money and the man left.
Later that month, David Povey, of Dalebeck Close, Whitefield, went back to the victim’s address with another man. They had a knife and were demanding more money.
In October 2023, the victim went to an address in Cadishead.
Gary Edwards then dragged him into the flat and he was tied up and forced to send more money.
When he could not pay immediately, they kept him restrained all night, subjected him to violent assaults, and locked him in a cupboard. If he did not pay, Kane Godiff told him he would be killed.
After they received the money, the victim was freed.
Just days later, the gang went to his house again, demanding more money.
They took him to Egret Drive in Irlam, which is where he was later found by police.
Again, they placed a bag over his head and demanded money.
The final incident took place on November 30, the victim had been at a friend’s address when he was approached by Gary Edwards and thrown into a van and had something put over his head.
Further phone analysis identified that the defendants were in contact in the nights leading up to the first kidnap.
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After police located the victim, Jonathan Newns, Povey, and Karl Johnson were all in regular contact with one another.
Cell site analysis also placed them all at the at the house on Egret Drive on the dates of kidnap.
A forensic analysis of the black hand pistol and ammunition that police seized provide a DNA profile which was a match for Jonathan Newns.
The men appeared at Manchester Crown Court today, Thursday, to be sentenced.
Newns, 24, of Salix Court, Whitebeam Close, Salford, was found guilty of two counts of attempted robbery, two counts of false imprisonment, kidnap, and possession of a prohibited firearm.
He has been jailed for 20 years.
Jonathan Newns (Image: GMP)
Povey, 38, was found guilty of robbery, kidnap, false imprisonment, and attempted robbery.
He has been jailed for 20 years.
David Povey (Image: GMP) Luke Johnson, 25, of Southway, Eccles, was found guilty of two counts of attempted robbery, two counts of false imprisonment, and two counts of kidnap.
He has been jailed for 13 years and six months.
Luke Johnson (Image: GMP)
Gary Edwards, 47, of Cumberland Avenue, Cadishead, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery.
He has been jailed for 10 years and two months.
Gary Edwards (Image: GMP) Kane Godiff, 33, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery.
He has been jailed for seven years and five months.
Kane Godiff (Image: GMP) Karl Johnson, 35, of Egret Drive, Irlam, pleaded guilty to two counts of encouraging or assisting an offence of robbery.
He has been jailed for three years.
Karl Johnson (Image: GMP)
Scott Armstrong, 39, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to two counts of transferring criminal property. He has been jailed for two years and four months.
Scott Armstrong (Image: GMP) 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.”
Detective Inspector Justin Bryant from the 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.
“I not only hope that this sentencing acts as a deterrent to anyone who may be considering such violence, but I hope it reassures the communities of Greater Manchester that we will use all specialist resources and skills to catch harmful offenders.”
