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Three men have been jailed after abducting a pregnant woman from outside her home and making horrifying threats to harm her fingers while speaking to her terrified partner on the phone. Audi Johnson, 35, of Cranberry Close, Northolt, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap and was sentenced to five years and four months.

Ahmad Ghiasi, 26, of Fourth Avenue, Luton, received seven years, while Nicholas Mitchell, 55, of Mannock Close, Barnet, was sentenced to nine years. Detective Inspector Ari Yoganathan of the Metropolitan Police's Flying Squad, who led the investigation, said: "The victim was leaving her home for a normal morning when she was suddenly abducted. That a pregnant mother should be bundled into a van and threatened in this way is a shocking crime.

"Our officers used forensic evidence, CCTV, and intelligence to track down her attackers. This verdict demonstrates our commitment to tackling criminal gangs and supporting the communities they terrorize."

The 36-year-old woman, six months pregnant, had left her Enfield home on 10 May 2024 to meet her personal trainer with her mother and sister. As she waited on the curb, she was grabbed and forced into the back of a white Ford Transit van.

Her hands were bound with cable ties, and her attackers questioned her about her partner. One warned: "If you lie to me I'm gonna kick the baby out your stomach."

The men then called her partner, threatening to cut off her fingers if he did not meet their demands for cash and jewellery. Johnson, Ghiasi, and Mitchell were part of a London-based gang hired to carry out the abduction.

Despite being blindfolded and restrained, the woman managed to escape when left alone in the van, flagging down a cab and reaching the safety of her mother's house.

The Flying Squad quickly launched an investigation, tracking the van via CCTV and locating it the same night the victim was rescued. The suspects were later identified through DNA, fingerprints, and mobile phone data.

The trio were convicted of conspiracy to kidnap on 3 June following a six-week trial at Kingston Crown Court.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said the ordeal left her unable to return home and forced her to spend the remainder of her pregnancy on her sister's couch.

She added: "The incident ruined my life. I will never be the same person again. I will forever have fear and paranoia as part of my life. This will always be part of my pregnancy, which is meant to be a happy experience, and part of my daughter's life story."