A pregnant woman who was kidnapped and thrown into the back of a van just outside her north London home has spoken of her terrifying ordeal.
The victim, who was six months pregnant, left her home on the morning of May 10 last year to wait for a cab to take her to a personal training session with her mother and sister.
But as she walked along the curb outside her Enfield home, the 36-year-old woman was suddenly grabbed and thrown into the back of a white Ford Transit van.
Her attackers bound her hands with cable ties as they quickly drove away before questioning her about her partner, as one threatened to “kick the baby out” of her stomach.
The men called the woman’s partner and also threatened to cut off her fingers if he did not respond quickly to their demands for money and valuable jewellery.
Despite being blindfolded and bound, the woman managed to escape when she was left alone in the vehicle. She flagged down a cab and travelled to the safety of her mother’s house.
The woman said she has not been able to go home since the traumatic ordeal and spent the rest of her pregnancy sleeping on her sister’s couch.
“The incident ruined my life. I will never be the same person again. I am having to start my life all over again,” she said.
“I will forever have fear and paranoia as part of my life now. I didn’t deserve to be a victim of what happened to me. And to top it off, it was all made so much worse by being pregnant.
“This will always be something that will be part of my pregnancy, which is meant to be a happy experience, and will always be something that is a part of my daughter.”
Audi Johnson, 35, Ahmad Ghiasi, 26 and Nicholas Mitchell, 55, were jailed for 21 years and four months altogether for kidnapping the woman.
The three men were members of a London-based gang who had been contracted to carry out the kidnapping, Met Police said.
They were jailed following an investigation by Met Police detectives who tracked down the van used in the kidnapping and compiled forensic evidence to prove the suspects’ involvement.
Detective Inspector Ari Yoganathan, of the Flying Squad, who led the Met’s investigation, said: “The victim was leaving her home to see her personal trainer on a morning that should have been like any other. That a pregnant mother should be bundled into a van and kidnapped from outside her home, bound and subjected to horrific threats is a disgusting and terrifying crime.
“Officers were able to track her attackers through forensic analysis of CCTV and phone data, recordings and intelligence.
“This verdict shows how we are taking the fight to criminal gangs and committed to supporting the local communities they intimidate and threaten.”
Johnson, of Northolt, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap and was sentenced to five years and four months. Ghiasi, of Luton, was sentenced to seven years for conspiracy to kidnap and Mitchell of Barnet was sentenced to nine years for conspiracy to kidnap.
