Two men sentenced to total of 30 years for 'kidnapping and torturing' victim over drugs debt

Two men have been sentenced to 30 years in prison after kidnapping and torturing a man over a £300,000 drugs debt.
Sakhawat Hussain.Sakhawat Hussain.
Sakhawat Hussain.

Sakhawat Hussain, 35, of Hawthorn Terrace, in Batley and Andre Clarke, 30, of Wood Lane, Huddersfield were found guilty by a jury at Leeds Crown Court yesterday (Monday) of the kidnap and attack of a 32-year-old man.

The court was told that January 23 this year, Hussain and Clarke went to the victim’s house in Batley, where there was a large quantity of Class A drugs, including cocaine and heroin.

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Following an argument between the three men, Clarke held a knife to the stomach of their victim’s pregnant girlfriend and threatened them, the court heard.

Andre Clarke.Andre Clarke.
Andre Clarke.

Three days later, the duo returned to the man's home, claiming there had been a robbery of a significant amount of drugs from their property and accused the victim.

The victim’s young son, girlfriend and father-in-law were also in the house at the time and were held prisoners, while he was taken into the cellar.

The court heard that Hussain and Clarke repeatedly attacked their victim, using weapons including a hammer, and interrogated him about the missing drugs for several hours.

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They then took him in a car to another property in Batley where the ordeal continued.

The court was told that they poured boiling water over his body and continually threatened and attacked him, before he escaped the following morning.

Hussain and Clarke were found guilty of affray, kidnapping, causing grievous bodily harm with intent and two counts of false imprisonment.

They were both sentenced to 15 years for grievous bodily harm, 12 months for affray, nine years for kidnapping offences and nine years for false imprisonment, to be served concurrently.

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Following the hearing, Detective Inspector Mark Catney, of Kirklees CID, who led the investigation, said: “These individuals are involved in the depths of criminality and we welcome the sentences which have been passed down today at court.

“I would like to praise my team who have tirelessly worked on this investigation to uncover the series of events which took place. Their dedication and commitment has resulted In Hussain and Clarke being successfully convicted of abhorrent and violent crimes.

“I hope that these sentences act as a clear warning to anyone involved in criminality that it will not be tolerated in Kirklees.”

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