A MILLIONAIRE who masterminded a kidnap and blackmail plot is planning a bid for freedom only days after he was jailed for 11 years.

Volker Kappler's legal team is drawing up an appeal against the German-born businessman's conviction at Teesside Crown Court last week.

Kappler was convicted by majority verdicts of ten to two on two charges of kidnap and two of blackmail involving North-East businessmen John Wood and David Langhorne.

Kappler hired a gang of armed men who posed as Customs officials to snatch the businessmen from Mr Wood's factory in Hartlepool earlier this year.

They were beaten, bound, blindfolded and driven 200 miles to North Wales, where they were told they and their children would be killed unless they handed over £600,000.

Kappler had hatched the plot after he discovered a VAT scam involving the companies of Mr Wood, Mr Langhorne and their associate Paul Thompson, who owed him more than £500,000.

Kappler's gang, who have still not been apprehended, watched Mr Wood and Mr Langhorne and their families for four weeks before they struck on March 14.

The court heard how Kappler, 37, was revealed as their captor when they arrived at his plastics factory in North Wales, where guns were placed against their heads and they were given three days to pay the money.

The pair, who had recently received large VAT rebates, were then left in a field on Merseyside, and arranged for the money to be paid.

They later blocked the transaction and told police of their ordeal. Kappler was arrested a short time later.

Kappler's legal representative, Steve Phillips, said last night: "There will be an appeal against Mr Kappler's conviction, but we have not yet fully formulated the grounds.

"An appeal will be lodged in the next 14 days on legal advice and on his instructions."