The police today welcomed the four-year prison sentence meted out to tyre fitter Muhammed Khubaib for kidnapping a teenage boy and demanding a £10,000 ransom from his mother.

Khubaib, 22, of Florence Street, Bradford Moor, Bradford, pleaded guilty to kidnapping the boy from outside a takeaway in the city in May and making an unwarranted demand with menaces.

The child was bundled into Khubaib’s Toyota Auris and ordered to tell his mother to hand over the money or “he wouldn’t be coming home.”

The teenage victim was targeted because the gang of four kidnappers believed he had recently come into some money, Bradford Crown Court heard.

After Khubaib was jailed, Detective Constable Paul Maxwell, of Bradford Safeguarding Team, said: “We welcome the sentence which has been passed down to Khubaib today.

“The victim was vulnerable to criminal exploitation and Khubaib tried to exploit him for money.

“This was an incredibly distressing incident for both the victim and the victim’s mother, but thankfully both were not injured during the incident and have been given help and support by the police and partner agencies.

“We would encourage anyone who is concerned about any young people to contact the police via 101 and they will be listened to and supported by specialist officers in our Safeguarding Units.”

For more information on Child Criminal Exploitation and how to spot the signs, please visit the West Yorkshire Police website https://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/CCE