A 32-year-old man, Claude Bond, has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison after pleading guilty to kidnapping and threatening a young man in Gloucester. The victim, in his twenties, was held at gunpoint in a terrifying ordeal on the evening of 11 December 2025.
Bond accosted the victim around 6.40pm, pressing a gun into his back and forcing him into a property on Hanman Road. There, the victim was bound with cable ties and subjected to repeated threats of serious harm, including being warned that Bond would cut off his fingers and dismember him if a ransom demand was not met.
Bond demanded between £150,000 and £250,000 from a relative of the victim in exchange for the victim’s release. The victim, who had no involvement in the issues leading to the crime and did not know Bond, was held at the property for approximately three hours before being released without any payment being made.
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At the address, police recovered various items including knives, a blow torch, bleach, tweezers, an empty Beretta gun case, and a handwritten list related to the kidnap. It is believed that the weapon used was an airsoft pistol, though the victim was led to believe it was a genuine firearm.
Following a police investigation and a warrant executed at Bond’s home, he was arrested on 13 December. The victim initially was reluctant to provide a full statement due to fear of repercussions but later cooperated fully with officers.
During sentencing at Gloucester Crown Court on 18 August, Judge Rupert Lowe condemned Bond’s actions, noting the premeditated nature of the attack and the severe psychological impact on the victim, who has experienced ongoing sleep disturbances and trauma from the incident.
A 12-year restraining order has also been put in place to protect the victim. Bond must serve two-thirds of his prison sentence before being eligible for release on licence.
In his victim impact statement, read to the court, the victim described the experience as unprovoked and stated he feared for his life throughout the ordeal, now carrying the emotional scars indefinitely.
Detective Constable Niall Carter praised the victim’s courage and the dedicated efforts of multiple police teams in bringing Bond to justice. He reiterated that such violent crimes will not be tolerated in Gloucestershire, and the police remain committed to identifying and prosecuting offenders responsible for serious crimes in the community.