Four people sentenced after St Albans kidnap

Two men have been jailed for more than nine years after kidnapping a man in St Albans.

They appeared at St Albans Crown Court on Monday (23 September).

The incident happened at around 12.05pm on 3 October 2019, when a man aged in his twenties was bundled into the back of a car on Colney Street.

He was then assaulted before managing to flee the area and hide in a front garden of a nearby property. The victim and suspects were known to each other.

The incident was believed to be linked to a reported aggravated burglary a couple of days previously.

Following a complex investigation by the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, the following five people were arrested and charged in connection with the incident in 2021:

• Macauley Anderson, aged 29, of Plover Road, Leighton Buzzard (pictured in light grey top)
• Samad Ali, aged 26, of Eastchurch, Kent (pictured in dark grey top)
• Lianna Mazzarelli, aged 23, of Gilded Acre, Dunstable
• Ayaz Khan, aged 20, of Someries Hill, Luton
• A woman in her twenties from Luton

 

All five pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to kidnap, Section 18 GBH, threats to kill, assisting an offender and possession of a firearm with the intent to commit an indictable offence.

Following a six-week trial at St Albans Crown Court in April 2024, the jury returned a majority verdict.

Ali was found guilty of kidnap and GBH, while Mazzarelli, Anderson and Khan were all convicted of kidnap and assisting an offender.

The woman from Luton was cleared on all matters, while the remaining defendants were all acquitted of the firearm possession and threats to kill charges.

The following sentences were handed out on Monday:

• Macauley Anderson – four years and four months in prison. This is broken down as three years and four months for count one (kidnap) and two years for count two (assisting an offender) which will run concurrent to count one, plus one month for failing to attend which will run consecutively
• Samad Ali – five years in prison. This is broken down as five years for count one (kidnap) and four years for count two (GBH) which will run concurrent to count one. The five years for count one will run consecutively to the time currently being served (two thirds to be served after his current 12 year sentence and the rest on licence).
• Liana Mazzarelli – two years in prison, suspended for 18 months. Plus 15 rehabilitation days and 5 months on an electronic tag curfew 8pm-6am
• Ayaz Khan – Two years in prison for count one (kidnap) and one year in prison for count two (assistant an offender), concurrent to count one, both suspended for 18 months. Plus 35 rehabilitation days and electronic tag for five months with 8pm-6am curfew.

 

Detective Sergeant Robert Muir, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, said: “I am pleased that Anderson, Ali, Mazzarelli and Khan will face justice for the role they played in this distressing kidnap.

“This was a complex investigation and, due to a number of factors, has taken five years to reach sentencing. The officers involved in this case should be credited for their tenacious work and ensuring the offenders were brought to justice.”