A GANG who lured and attacked their own friend in a honeytrap scheme have been jailed.
The judge branded the four thugs as “animals”; after over £150 of debt.
Daniel Aston, 33, and his then-girlfriend Shannon Wolleter hatched the plot alongside 61-year-old Steven Baker and his son Matthew.
The gang their friend Anthony Cooper after saying they didn’t approve of his girlfriend and because he owed them £150.
They created an elaborate trap for Anthony, by using Wolleter as bait.
She started texting Anthony, while pretending that she was interested in him romantically.
The pair arranged to meet up on October 3, 2021, for a “sexual encounter”; at 8.12pm.
When he arrived, he was dragged off the street and taken into a silver .
Baker shouted “come here, you little c***”; before beating Anthony, while Matthew Baker threatened to cut off the charity worker’s legs.
Matthew Baker sent videos of the crime to various people on , once they reached a friend’s flat.
Anthony was then dragged to a car park before being dropped near to his address.
He was treated for his injuries, while the violent gang of four were arrested.
Presiding over Crown Court, Judge Dean Kershaw branded the group as “animals”; and described their actions as “cowardly, planned and vile”;.
Aston was slapped with a five-year and eight month sentence, while Wolleter was handed a two year and 10 month sentence.
Both Bakers were given sentences of three years and nine months.
David Bambrough, 41, was handed a six month suspended sentence after allowing the gang to use his flat during the assault.
Anthony met the group through a charity and had considered each of them friends.
However, the friendship broke down when he started dating a woman called Bethany love.
The prosecution, Lachlan Stewart, said that this caused the sinister gang to start calling Anthony nasty names.
Mr Stewart said: “Steven Baker saw her like a daughter. There was also a suggestion Matthew Baker may have been in a relationship with her in the past.
“The group started going around calling Mr Cooper a paedo, a rapist and sex offender entirely without basis.”;
Anthony opened up about how the incident has left him unable to trust the people he cares about in his life.
He said: “What makes things worse is I thought all the people involved were my .
“It really made me not want to make more friends.
“When it was happening I thought I was going to die.
“I have never been so scared in all my life.”;
