Following an investigation by Thames Valley Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit, four men have been convicted in relation to a double kidnapping in Reading.
Those convicted at Reading Crown Court on Thursday, August 24, following a four-week trial, were:
-
Gevin Pasha, aged 22, of Gray Street, Northampton, who was found guilty of two counts of false imprisonment and one count each of conspiracy to blackmail, conspiracy to kidnap and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
-
Klej Doci, aged 20, of St Margaret’s Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, who was found guilty of two counts of false imprisonment and one count of conspiracy to kidnap. He was found not guilty of one count of conspiracy to blackmail and common assault.
-
Erlind Demiraj, aged 32, of Orts Road, Reading, who was found guilty of one count each of conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to blackmail. He pleaded guilty to one count of perverting the course of justice at the same court in February.
-
Garcon Lala, aged 28, of Eastern Road, Haringey, London, previously pleaded guilty to two counts of false imprisonment and one count each of conspiracy to blackmail, conspiracy to kidnap and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
They were all remanded in custody and are due to be sentenced at the same court on September 28.
Gentjan Kica, aged 34, of Glenrosa Road, Reading, was found not guilty of one count of conspiracy to blackmail.
At around 6.30pm on December 8, 2021, Pasha, Doci and Lala kidnapped two men in their twenties in a car park on Maiden Place, Lower Earley, before driving away in several vehicles.
After being held captive for five days, the victims were safeguarded by police in Northampton in the early hours of December 13, 2021.
Pasha was charged on December 14, 2021, Doci was charged on December, 15 2021 and Lala was charged on December 16, 2021.
Demiraj, who was considered to be the group’s ringleader, was charged in his absence on September 28, last year. He was arrested by Dutch authorities while attempting to cross from Belgium into the Netherlands on November 4 last year.
This was following a joint international manhunt operation by the Serious and Organised Crime Unit, the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit, the National Crime Agency and international law enforcement partners.
Kica was charged by postal requisition on October 6, last year.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Helen Gilbert, of the Serious and Organised Crime Unit, said: “This was a frightening incident for the victims who were taken against their will and held captive for five days.
“I am pleased that the dangerous individuals involved in this incident have been convicted for their actions by the jury.
“Thames Valley Police will never tolerate this sort of offending and this case shows that we will work tirelessly to bring offenders to justice.
“My thanks go to our colleagues at Northamptonshire Police for their support in rescuing the victims, as well as South East Regional Organised Crime Unit, the National Crime Agency and our international law enforcement partners for detaining Erlind Demiraj in the Netherlands.”
