Two men from Herefordshire were part of a trio who have been sentenced to a total of 75 years

Hereford Voice · Tuesday at 09:01

Two men from Herefordshire were part of a trio who have been sentenced to a total of 75 years for the attempted murder and kidnap of Merthyr man earlier this year.

Just after 10pm on Monday, February 10, 2025, a 28-year-old man from Merthyr presented at hospital with multiple stab wounds. Officers attended and it was established the victim had been forced into a vehicle and assaulted.

The incident unfolded when the victim arrived at a retail park in a car with his girlfriend to meet Luke Williams, who had invited him. The victim was forcibly taken into another car by Tyshane Brown and Williams, where he was blindfolded and kidnapped. Despite his attempts to escape, he was overpowered and stabbed.

During the abduction, a phone call was made to the victim’s girlfriend from inside the car, demanding a ransom of £5,000. She heard the victim pleading for help, shouting that he was being stabbed and that they had knives and a gun.

As the ordeal continued, the victim was driven around the Merthyr area while blindfolded and further assaulted. His girlfriend quickly informed his dad who rallied three friends to help rescue him. Arrangements were made with the kidnappers for the ransom delivery, with the girlfriend rolling up a jacket to simulate the cash and leaving it at the retail park.

A rescue attempt by the victim’s dad and his friends was thwarted when they approached the car. A window was smashed in the car during the chaos, but the victim was unable to escape.

The car sped away, with the victim’s dad in pursuit, eventually ramming the vehicle in an effort to free the victim. In the process, the victim sustained more injuries, including a stab wound to his hamstring. Eventually, he was transported to hospital where it was confirmed he had been stabbed nine times, including a severe wound to his abdomen.

Officers later located the abandoned car which had been reported by a member of the public and discovered a significant bloodstain inside.

A subsequent medical examination revealed multiple injuries to the victim, including wounds to his face, abdomen, back, groin, and thigh, along with signs of internal bleeding.

Despite being sought by police, Williams and Brown were spotted together just two days after the incident at a BP petrol station in Herefordshire.

On February 27, officers arrested Williams and Brown at a caravan park in Kidderminster. During a search of the caravan, police found items including a balaclava, a knife, and clothing matching what Williams wore in the BP footage.

All three were sentenced last week for attempted murder; section 18 GBH; kidnap; blackmail; possession of a firearm; and possession of a bladed article.