Two members of a gang who kidnapped a man and carried out a string of armed robberies were jailed for a total of 23 years.

They and a 16-year-old youth pounced on innocent motorist Ian Faulk in a motorway service station car park and took him on a terrifying 173-mile drive across Britain in his own car.

They threatened to cut off his fingers, raided his bank account and dumped him in the car boot before abandoning him and the car in a field.

Philip Huggins, 42, described as the leader of the gang, was jailed for 11 years at Oxford Crown Court. Mathew Forrest, 24, was jailed for 12 years. Another member of the gang, Huggins's 16-year-old son Daniel, escaped detention but was given a two-year supervision order in a move described by Judge MaryJane Mowat as exceptional.

The teenager and Mathew Forrest had both admitted kidnapping Mr Faulk while Philip Huggins pleaded guilty to false imprisonment.

All three also admitted conspiracy to rob in connection with 12 armed robberies carried out at shops and garages in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Buckinghamshire in January and February this year.

The Oxfordshire premises raided were; the Wine Bar off licence in Eynsham on January 12: the Co-op store in Wheatley the next day; another Co-op in Chilton on January 14; Steventon Service Station, Steventon on January 21; the Family Choice shop in Parsons Mead, Abingdon on January 24; Thresher's off licence in Walton Street, Oxford, on January 27; Begbroke Post Office on February 11; Bletchingdon Post Office on February 12 and Judd's Garage in Woodstock on February 13, the day before the men were arrested. Mathew Forest's brother, Paul, 28, was jailed for 18 months.

The Forrest brothers pleaded guilty to stealing credit cards and a cheque book when they took a woman's bag from her car in Wendover Woods, Buckinghamshire, and later using them to withdraw £80. Philip Huggins and Paul Forrest also admitted raiding stables at Cross Trees Farm, Sutton Courtenay, and stealing tack and a van.

All four defendants lived in Springfield Road, Wantage.

Judge Mowat told Daniel Huggins: "You were living with your father during this period and with the Forrests and it seems you had no other adult family to guard or assist you."Your father introduced you to heroin and he and his friends used you and encouraged you to take part in robbery and kidnap. The crimes you took part in were terrible and you knew you were doing wrong but it seems to me that you had very little, if any, option but to go along with what your father was doing.

"I am prepared to do something which is possibly entirely exceptional and which some will criticise me for, but I think you should be given a chance."

Thames Valley Police said after the case: "We are delighted that these dangerous men have received long sentences. They subjected an innocent man to a terrifying ordeal. Mr Faulk is relieved that they have been jailed." but he is still coming to terms with his ordeal."

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