Couple who threatened man with machetes at Northampton house found guilty of false imprisonment and robbery

Tyrone Platt, aged 20, and Jordan Bridge-Simmons, also 20, invited the victim to a house in Home Farm Close. Little Billing, where they turned out the lights, stripped naked and beat him up in a bedroom for an hour, making him fear for his life by scraping two machetes together.

Steven Kemp, prosecuting, said: “The purpose of those knives was to make this man think that, if he didn’t comply, they would be use on him.

“It was to terrify him.”

At one point, the victim was led to the top of the stairs where Bridge Simmons kicked his feet from under him and the pair tumbled down to the hallway.

The attack then continued, with both defendants kicking and hitting the man to his stomach and head. Bridge-Simmons then held onto the victim’s car keys while Platt escorted the man on foot to a cash machine in Weston Favell.

There, he stood nearby while the man withdrew £300, at which point he was struck again and the money was taken from him.

While there, Platt allegedly told the victim that “the last nonce” had paid him £1,000.

When they returned to Home Farm Close, a drunk Bridge-Simmons had crashed the victim’s Mazda into a Mini Cooper, which had then ploughed into a neighbour’s house. Bridge-Simmons was lying nearby, apparently having a fit.

Platt then ordered the victim to go home and report his vehicle stolen in the morning. Instead, he walked to Weston Favell Police Station and told officers of his ordeal.

Meanwhile, Bridge-Simmons was taken to Northampton General Hospital where he was placed in a medically induced coma in intensive care. He was later arrested at the hospital and subsequently gave a blood sample which showed he was more than twice over the drink-drive limit.

Platt then turned up to see his boyfriend and, after initially giving a false name to officers, was also arrested.

During the course of the trial, Platt claimed he was a male escort and had struck a deal with the victim to have sex for £250.

Platt claimed that he had discovered the victim lying on top of his semi-conscious boyfriend in the bedroom, at which point the man apologised and offered the money willingly.

However, today a jury found Bridge-Simmons guilty of actual bodily harm, robbery and false imprisonment. He had earlier admitted stealing the car and driving it while drunk.

Tyrone Platt was found guilty of false imprisonment. He had already admitted attacking the victim at the cash machine and robbing him.

They will be sentenced next month.