A man in his 20s was subjected to a harrowing kidnapping ordeal in Gloucester, during which he was held at gunpoint and threatened with severe violence before being released unharmed.
Claude Bond, aged 32, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison at Gloucester Crown Court after pleading guilty to the offence. The kidnapping occurred on the evening of 11 December 2025, when Bond confronted the victim, pushed a gun into his back, and forced him into a property in Gloucester. There, the victim was bound with cable ties and subjected to repeated threats including cutting off his fingers, dismembering his body, and killing him.
Bond demanded a ransom of £250,000 from a relative of the victim, later reducing the amount to between £150,000 and £200,000. Despite spending around three hours at the address, Bond eventually released the victim without receiving any money.
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The victim, who had no involvement in any criminal activity and did not know Bond, described the incident as unprovoked and deeply traumatising. He stated that he had feared for his life during the ordeal and that the experience has affected his sleeping patterns and mental well-being, with the trauma replaying in his mind to this day.
Following the incident, police were called and commenced an investigation that led to Bond’s arrest at his home on Hanman Road on 13 December. A search of the property recovered an empty Beretta gun case, zip ties, a blow torch, bleach, tweezers, and a handwritten kidnap list. The weapon used was believed to have been an airsoft pistol, though the victim believed it to be a genuine firearm.
Bond was remanded in custody and appeared at Gloucester Crown Court on 22 June, where he entered a guilty plea. At sentencing, the court was informed that the kidnapping was likely linked to a drug-related dispute between Bond and the victim’s relative. Bond has previous convictions including supply of Class A drugs and served a prison sentence from 2018 to 2023.
Judge Rupert Lowe criticised Bond’s actions, noting he had laid in wait for the victim and used threats of serious harm to intimidate him. The judge imposed a 12-year restraining order to protect the victim and specified that Bond must serve two-thirds of his sentence before becoming eligible for release on licence.
Detective Constable Niall Carter praised the victim’s courage and the police investigation, highlighting the vital role of CCTV evidence and coordinated police efforts. He stressed that violent offences such as this would not be tolerated in Gloucestershire and reaffirmed the commitment of law enforcement to bring offenders to justice.