Gang kidnapped man and tortured him in Stephen King-inspired sick attack

GANG members who kidnapped and tortured a man in a Stephen King-inspired attack in Huddersfield have been jailed.

- By SOPHIE CORCORAN

Evil Natalie Dennison, 45, led the kidnap and assault of one man in July 2024 after he was arrested with drugs belonging to Joshua Bhatti, 31, of Bradford Road, Huddersfield, and Makyle Francois, 24, of Huntingdon Avenue, Huddersfield.

As he sentenced the three, alongside Curtis Hainds, 19, of Dewhurst Road, and Aiden Bridges, 27, of Orchard Street - who were involved in a separate attack against another man a month later - His Honour Judge Tom Bayliss said the first man had been a drug user and dealer and had had the drugs seized as he was arrested.

When he was released, Leeds Crown Court heard yesterday that he visited a “trap house” and was then lured to Dennison’s home in Orchard Street.

The judge told Dennison: “Not long after he arrived at your flat, so too did Francois and Bhatti. That wasn't a coincidence, he had been taken or lured there.

They told him they owed them money, because the drugs had gone missing. When he asked how much they were talking about they said £10,000... he was told to get the money from his father.

“When he told them there was no chance of that the violence began. You threw the first punch, Natalie Dennison. The violence became very severe very quickly. He was pushed into the sitting room and hit with a metal bar across the back... the more he cried out in pain the more he was told to shut up and assaulted.

“You hit him with a strap from a handbag Ms Dennison and made him get onto his hands and knees and squat in the corner.”

The court heard the man was also sexually assaulted and suffered “unimaginable pain” but was laughed at before Dennison used an Impulse can to burn him. He was then put into a kitchen cupboard.

The judge said: “He was tortured - one of the instruments, a wooden meat tenderiser...