A GROUP of men who kidnapped a Dursley man last year have been sentenced to a total of 31 years in prison.

Brett Anthony Ireson, 28, of no fixed abode, Tom Kevin Wood, 30, of Frederick Thomas Road, Dursley and Lennox Jay Dwayne Gaspard, 37, of Garnalls Road in Matson were arrested following a police investigation into the kidnap of a 29-year-old Dursley man on Valentines Day, 2010.

Their victim suffered severe bruising over his body and a slash wounds to his arm and leg on Sunday, February 14, when he was assaulted at an address on Rosebery Road in Dursley before being forcibly moved from the address in a vehicle.

Whilst in the car he was repeatedly beaten and then taken to an address in Gloucester where he suffered further assaults.

Ireson entered guilty pleas to the charges of kidnap, false imprisonment and wounding at Exeter Crown Court at the beginning of the month. Woods had pleaded guilty to the same charges at an earlier court hearing on February 9.

On Tuesday, May 24, Ireson was sentenced to ten years six months imprisonment and Wood was sentenced to nine years and four months in prison for kidnap and false imprisonment. They also received four years each for the charge of wounding, which will run concurrently.

Gaspard was sentenced to three years four months imprisonment, having pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice at Exeter Crown Court on February 9.

Speaking after the sentencing on Tuesday Detective Sergeant Dave Doherty, from Gloucestershire Police, said: "Today’s sentencing sees the conclusion of a thorough and detailed investigation and we are pleased to hear today’s result.

"We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Dursley and Gloucester communities for their support, assistance and patience whilst we worked to locate those responsible and bring them to justice."