Man guilty of attempting to kidnap lover's husband

A man has been found guilty of attempting to kidnap his girlfriend's husband in a botched hijacking.

Daniel Algar, 41, from Spalding, was convicted of attempting to kidnap Gary Leggate following a trial at Lincoln Crown Court.

His girlfriend and Mr Leggate's wife, Lucy Leggate, 35, from Fishtoft, near Bolton, was cleared of any involvement.

Algar was granted conditional bail and will be sentenced on 29 August.

The court heard police were called to an incident on the A52, near Boston, shortly after 22:00 BST on 22 September 2022.

Mr Leggate had left work without realising a masked Algar had hidden in the rear seat of his car, jurors heard.

A witness described how the car stopped suddenly on the wrong side of the A52 before Mr Leggate and Algar both got out of the vehicle.

Mr Leggate told the witness he knew the masked man was having an affair with his wife, and identified him as "Dan from Spalding."

The court heard Mr Leggate had become aware that his wife was having an affair with Algar about two months earlier but had had suspicions for much of 2022.

In the witness box Algar denied being the masked man in the car and claimed Mr Leggate had plotted a "vendetta" against him because of the affair he was having with Mrs Leggate.

But addressing the jury prosecution barrister Luc Chignell argued Algar was trying to spin a conspiracy theory.

Chris Jeyes, defending Algar, suggested Mr Leggate might have been seeking revenge after discovering the affair had resumed in September.

"If it was a competition for the affections of the girl then Mr Algar was winning," Mr Jeyes stated.

The prosecution said Mr Leggate recognised Algar's "distinctive" Yorkshire accent when the masked man spoke to him in his car.

Jurors heard Mr Leggate also became aware of a "musty, smoky" smell and during his evidence Algar confirmed that he was a smoker.

Algar conceded the boots worn by the hooded figure in the car park were similar to his work boots but said he had different facial features.

Judge James House KC, warned Algar "to expect a custodial sentence" and told him "to put his affairs in order."

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