Three north-east men who behaved “like 1920s gangsters” by abducting a man against his will and forcing him to ring his father to demand money are facing jail.
Ross Alexander, Toms Garavins and Gary Milne struck last October in an effort to recoup “unpaid debts” from their victim, Ethan Robertson.
They are said to have used Carmen Robertson to lure him into their clutches by ringing him and asking him to meet her at Aberdeen Sports Village.
Once there Garavins, 18, jumped on him from behind and placed him in a headlock before dragging him into a BMW driven by Alexander.
He was placed in the back seat against his will with Garavins and Milne, 19, to either side of him to prevent him from fleeing.
Garavins said to Mr Robertson menacingly: “You are going to stay with us for a while.”
Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told the vehicle had been driven to the south of Aberdeen with the hostage fearing for his safety.
In the meantime, his father John Robertson, who knew where he had been heading, walked to the Sports Village only to see that he was not there.
When he rang him he got no answer as the phone had been switched to airplane mode.
Some time later, however, Garavins got the hostage to ring his father and tell him he owed the men £600 and would be harmed if it was not paid.
Multiple calls were then made to both his father’s mobile and the home phone as he initially refused to pay the money.
The three men then came into contact with another group who said Mr Robertson also owed them money and they would pay £300 if he was handed over to them.
Mr Robertson phoned his father again and warned him of this danger and this time he agreed to pay £250 in cash, before transferring the rest.
In the meantime, however, he contact the police and officers were waiting as he later met up with the group outside Shakes and Cakes on the city’s Sunnybank Road.
He spoke to Alexander, 29, and handed over £250. His son was allowed to exit the vehicle.]
The exchange was witnessed by police officers who approached and detained the three men inside the car.
Yesterday, at the sheriff court, Garavins, of Marquis Road, confessed to abducting Mr Robertson and extorting money from him and his father.
Milne, of Cornhill Drive, admitted abduction, while Alexander, of Alexander Terrace, admitted extortion.
Miss Robertson, of Lang Stracht, had initially faced both charges but yesterday her not guilty pleas to both were accepted.
Sheriff Brown deferred sentence on the three men but warned them that jail was a possibility.
He said: “There is no doubt in my mind that a custodial sentence is a likely outcome.
“If you three want to carry on like 1920s gangsters you will ultimately face the consequences of that.”
The three men will return to court in September.
