Man jailed for kidnapping man in Gloucester at gunpoint

A 32-year-old man who kidnapped another man at gunpoint in Gloucester has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.

On the evening of 11 December last year Claude Bond pointed the gun at the victim in the street, pushed the weapon into his back and then escorted him to a nearby address.

Once inside the property Bond used cable ties to secure the victim's wrists together and repeatedly made threats to injure and kill him.

The ordeal started at around 6.40pm, and Bond was on the phone to a relative of the victim and demanded £250,000 for his safe release.

The victim, aged in his 20s, could see that there were items at the address as well as the firearm including knives, a blow torch, tweezers, bleach and a large sheet with tape on it.

The court was told how Bond had threatened to hurt the victim if he was not provided with cash from the relative, including threatening to blast his head off, cut his fingers off and chop up his body. 

During sentencing at Gloucester Crown Court today (Tuesday 18 August), the reason behind the kidnap was discussed, and it was suggested that this related to a drug dispute between Bond and the victim's relative.

The court was told that the victim had no involvement in criminality and that he did not know who Bond was.

Bond's demands for cash from the relative lowered to between £150,000 and £200,000, and after around three hours at the address, Bond released the victim with no money provided.

Police were called and attended that evening, and due to the time of night and for fear of repercussions, initially the victim did not provide a full statement to officers.

The following day, he showed officers where he had been kidnapped from on Hatherley Road and the nearby address on Hanman Road that he was walked to at gunpoint.

Police applied for a warrant the same day, 13 December, and this was granted late that evening.

Officers went to the address and arrested Bond there, and this was found to be his home address.

An empty Beretta gun case was seized, along with zip ties, a blow torch, cannister and a handwritten kidnap list.

The weapon was not located at the address, and the court was told that the weapon was believed to have been an airsoft pistol. However, the victim would have thought it was a genuine firearm.

Bond gave a no comment interview, and following an investigation by the Constabulary's Criminal Investigation Department, he was charged with kidnap and remanded in custody.

On 22 June at Gloucester Crown Court he pleaded guilty to the offence on the first day of his trial, and he was sentenced at the same court today to four-and-a-half years in prison.

Bond (pictured below) was told he must serve two thirds of his sentence before being released on licence, and he was given a 12-year restraining order to protect the victim.

Parts of a statement written by the victim was read to the court in which he said he thought he was going to die and that he had made peace with the fact he thought his life was going to end.

He said that the attack was completely unprovoked and that he had always tried to live his life the right way.

The victim's ability to sleep had been impacted, as the kidnap replayed in his head, and he felt he would carry this with him for the rest of his life.

Bond's defence barrister told the court that Bond said he had been robbed of some funds and he suspected that the victim's relative was involved.

It was heard how Bond was doing well in prison, and that he understood his actions caused harm and he was apologetic for that.

The court was told Bond had previous convictions, including the supply of class A drugs, and he was jailed for 84 months in 2018 for this and released in 2023.

In sentencing Bond, Judge Rupert Lowe said: "You somehow decided you would kidnap [victim’s name removed] off the street and you went and laid in wait for him with a gun.

"I accept from your basis of plea, and from the evidence from the police, that this was in all probability an airsoft pistol.

"You lay in wait for him, and when he came out of a shop you barged into him, pushed him into a van and pushed your gun into his back.

"He didn’t know who you were, he had no idea, and you then demanded money and walked him at gunpoint down a number of roads."

Judge Lowe added that the victim would have thought that Bond was serious about potentially dismembering and disposing of his body.

After sentencing, investigating officer Detective Constable Niall Carter said: "I would like to thank the victim for his steadfastness and courage shown throughout this investigation. His continued support and engagement has been invaluable in helping officers establish the circumstances of what happened.

"Bond ultimately pleaded guilty on the day his trial was due to commence. While that plea is welcomed and has brought proceedings to a conclusion without the need for the victim to give evidence, it is important to recognise that Bond had shown no remorse whatsoever for what he has put the victim through.

"This has been a complex investigation, and the commitment and professionalism shown by multiple officers from different departments should be recognised. The execution of multiple warrants and identification of key CCTV evidence was particularly important in progressing the investigation. I would like to thank everyone involved in this case for their hard work.

"Such violent and serious offending will not be tolerated in Gloucestershire, and we will always work to identify those responsible and bring them to justice."