Man 'went on rampage using extreme violence'

A man who kidnapped a 17-year-old boy and attacked him in a ditch before assaulting another teenager and locking him in a garage has been jailed.

Aidan Bird, 18, formerly of Pettis Road, St Ives, Cambridgeshire, was armed with a machete during the incidents, Peterborough Crown Court heard.

Cambridgeshire Police said he was accompanied by Jaylen Harradine, 19, from Dolphin Close, Cambridge, for some of the incidents in Somersham.

Bird denied two counts of aggravated burglary and kidnapping but was found guilty and sentenced to seven years and six months. Harradine was found guilty of one count of aggravated burglary and kidnap and was sentenced to three years and nine months in jail.

Bird initially broke into a house in Somersham with a knife at about 21:00 GMT on 10 February 2023, Cambridgeshire Police said.

Wearing a balaclava, he assaulted multiple teenagers, leaving one unconscious, smashed furniture and stole designer clothes and mobile phones.

Armed with a machete, he broke into another Somersham home the next day with Harradine, who was brandishing a kitchen knife, police said.

The pair stole property, kidnapped a 17-year-old boy, and drove him to Warboys, where he was assaulted in a ditch.

Police then said Bird assaulted another 17-year-old with weapons on 28 February, locking him in a garage.

Bird claimed both boys owned him money.

Det Con Rebecca Neville paid tribute to his victims for giving evidence and added: “Bird is a dangerous individual who, along with his associates, went on a rampage using extreme violence to terrorise their victims."

He pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm, threatening to damage or destroy property and threatening to disclose sexual photographs with intent to cause distress.

Harradine was found not guilty of actual bodily harm.

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