Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire – Four men were sentenced to a total of 54 years in prison after a violent and pre-planned attack that resulted in the kidnapping and severe injuries of two men. The gang used bats and knives on the victims, pepper-sprayed them, and then dragged them out of a vehicle before driving them away in the boots of two cars.
Following a trial at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, Egidijus Savickas and Dovydas Smilginis were found guilty of all charges, including two counts of kidnapping, causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, possessing an article with a blade or point, and possessing an offensive weapon. The other two defendants, Modestas Stokus and Mohamed Nasar, had already admitted to the charges at the beginning of the trial in September 2023.
The court heard that the attack took place in December 2022, with Stokus driving the victims to Meadow Street where Nasar, Savickas, and Smilginis were waiting. The gang then proceeded to bound the victims with duct tape, interrogate them, and put them into car boots. One victim managed to escape by calling for help.
One of the victims suffered severe injuries, including bruising, stab wounds, broken limbs, sepsis, and kidney failure. The sentencing saw Stokus and Nasar each receive 12 years and seven months in prison, while Savickas and Smilginis were sentenced to 14 years each.
Detective Inspector Ian Fitzgerald described the incident as a brutal and pre-planned attack, emphasizing that all four men had a role in the violent act. He stated that the sentencing sends a strong message that such criminal behavior has no place in their community and hoped it would deter others from engaging in similar activities.