Gang members jailed over 'torture and humiliation' at cuckooed flat in Bedford

The final member of a Bedford drugs gang involved in the “torture and humiliation” of vulnerable adults at a Bedford flat has been jailed.

Four men behind the ‘Ginge’ county drugs line are now facing almost 26 years in prison for what a judge said was the exploitation of vulnerable people by the gang, including “extreme violence with weapons”.

In March 2020 two of the gang inflicted “significant violence and derogation” to three people whose flat they were ‘cuckooing’ after around £300 allegedly went missing.

Gang members Shamadul Islam and Mohammed Ali forced an antique shotgun into one of the victim’s mouths, hit another around the head with a machete, and forced some to strip naked in order to find where the drugs had gone.

One of the victims was then marched to a cash point and forced to pay the gang over £200.

“This was a small flat, there was a gang of six, the gang acted aggressively and violently to the occupiers in their home – you instilled such terror and fear they were prepared to do what they didn’t want to do,” Judge Steven Evans said.

“The victims were vulnerable and terrified. This is a very serious example of false imprisonment and were you older and but for the principle of totality, double figures would be appropriate for this terrifying ordeal.”

The day after this, the same gang was captured on CCTV armed with weapons attempting to break into another flat in Bedford in order to retrieve their drugs.

Islam was the head of the drugs line, supported by Ali, Amirul Hussain and Naimour Ahmed. Two other younger drug runners were also involved in the gang and their activities.

The court heard the group were a “frightening sight” and would sit in the cuckooed flat and brandish weapons.

“The residents were frightened – and with good reason,” said Judge Stevens.

One of the occupants of the flat was able to escape and sought refuge at a homeless shelter, whose staff notified police about what had happened.

Bedfordshire Police raised the flat that day and arrested five members of the gang, recovering weapons including a BB gun, machete, axe and a mallet.

They were able to link these weapons to the gang using CCTV of the attempted break-in, as well as matching the suspects clothing to identify them.

Islam, 23, of Ampthill Road, Bedford, had almost £6,000 in cash seized from his bedroom.

He was yesterday (Wednesday, March 15) sentenced to eight years eight months in prison, having been found guilty of two counts of false imprisonment, blackmail, possession of an imitation firearm, two counts of assault and criminal damage.

He had pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply both cocaine and heroin.

Last month Ali, 22, of Cavendish Street, Bedford, was sentenced to a total of nine years in prison, with a further three years on licence, after being found guilty of two counts of false imprisonment, conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin, two counts of assault, criminal damage and having a bladed article.

During a hearing in May last year, four others were handed sentences for their involvement:

Hussain, 24, of Elstow Road, Bedford, was sentenced to four years for conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin, being concerned in the supply of cannabis, criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon.

Ahmed, 23, of Faraday Square, Bedford, was sentenced to four years for conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin.

The youngest two men involved pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin as well as criminal damage. They were each handed a two-year youth community order.

Detective Constable Lindsey Cook, from Bedfordshire Police’s Boson guns and gangs team, led the investigation and was commended by the judge for her work.

She said: “The ordeal that this gang put these people through was justifiably described in court as torture and humiliation.

“This is the brutal reality of the illegal drugs trade. We have a relentless focus on tackling the organised criminal gangs behind drug dealing because they pose huge risks in terms of carrying out extreme violence or inhumane exploitation, both of which we have seen on full display in this truly shocking case.

“We all have a responsibility to stop this. People can be vulnerable for many reasons, including alcohol or drug addiction, poor mental health or not having English as their first language. Many times, they may not see themselves as victims.

“But we must all look out for our neighbours and vulnerable people in our communities to protect them from this kind of exploitation.”

Signs of cuckooing to look out for

There are some key signs to spot of cuckooing, such as:

Lots of different people regularly entering a property, or having lots of cars and bikes outside.

Anti-social behaviour and litter outside.

People coming and going at strange times.

Damage to the property door, or the door being propped open.

Unknown people pressing buttons to gain access to the building.

You have not seen the resident recently, or when you have, they have been anxious, distracted or have unexplained injuries.

No engagement with family or support services.

The resident will not open the door of their property.

Phone disconnected.