TWO men have both been jailed for three-and-a-half years after staging a kidnap where the victim was told that his fingers and toes would be cut off.

Bryan Knox, 20, and Kristian Gibson, 23, took a man from a bus stop them drove him to a house in Washington, Wearside, where he was threatened with a meat cleaver and warned that he could be made to "disappear".

Newcastle Crown Court heard that the man, who cannot be named, was taken from a street in Glebe, Washington, in September last year and had his hands tied behind his back with a dog lead. He was then taken to Knox's house in Lanacost, Glebe, where he was imprisoned in a bedroom and subjected to a savage beating.

Ian Graham, prosecuting, had told the court Knox had said that the man owed him money from the sale of a car.

Knox's 21-year-old brother, Stephen, and Barry Bruce, 19, also joined in the beating.

Bryan Knox, of Lanercost, Glebe, Washington, and Gibson, of Cleve Court, Washington pleaded guilty to blackmail and were found guilty of kidnap.

Barry Bruce, of Braham, Perth, Scotland, admitted common assault and was sentenced to a community rehabilitation order.

Stephen Knox, of Lanercost, Glebe, will be sentenced later for his part in the assault.