Man sent to prison after kidnapping teenagers in Northampton and blackmailing parents for drug money

A 19-year-old man has been sent to prison for more than five years after targeting five victims in four days to obtain drug money through kidnap, blackmail and robbery.

Aramis Sullivan, aged 19, previously of Gransden Close in Luton, appeared at Northampton Crown Court on Tuesday, February 14 after pleading guilty to two counts of kidnap, three counts of blackmail, one count of robbery and one count of fraud.

At the age of 18, Sullivan already had a significant criminal record including previous offences of robbery, possession of a blade in a public place and false imprisonment.

The court heard that - on August 11, 2021 - a 17-year-old was making his way to a shop in Northampton when he was approached by Sullivan, who asked if he knew anyone who sold drugs. After saying no, he heard Sullivan telling someone on his phone, “There’s a lad coming over, he’s got a good tracksuit on, it looks like he has a good amount of money.”

Gary Short, prosecuting, said an unknown white male then approached the 17-year-old, telling him: “You’re coming with me.” Sullivan then took the teenager to a wooded area before threatening him to call his dad and get him £300.

The court heard that Sullivan told the victim’s parents he had accumulated more than £400 in drug debts and “there will be consequences if there is no payment.”

The victim’s mother described her son during the ordeal as “terrified and crying” with his voice trembling as he told her, “You need to get the money or I will be a dead man.” His mother arrived and handed over £200 in cash so the victim was let go.

The following day, Sullivan - with another male - sat next to two 19-year-old men inside McDonald’s in the Drapery. Their actions were intimidating, helping themselves to their food and asking them for a lift to Billing.

The court heard that Sullivan and the other man followed the two teenagers to their car, where they forced them to drive to Coventry before demanding £1,000. Sullivan asked to see one of the victim’s licences and told him, “Now, I’ve got your address, I know what you look like and I know where you live so - if you don’t get this money, something is going to happen to your family.”

After blackmailing more than £500 from the victims’ relatives, they told the teenagers to drive them back to Northampton, where they were able to escape after being held hostage for six hours.

Sullivan also appeared before the court for offences committed in Watford in the two days that followed. This includes the robbery of a school boy in McDonald’s when Sullivan walked him to an ATM to withdraw money. When the boy did not have any money, he pressured him to call his mum to transfer money over to him, the court heard.

Edward Gordon-Saker, in mitigation, told the court that, whilst the victims of these crimes were “undoubtedly shaken-up”, no serious harm was caused as there was no physical violence used.

The defence barrister said: “it is what could be described as an extreme end of childhood bullying. It is two teenagers meeting with other teenagers in McDonald’s and intimidating them for cash and personal favours. The gap in their age is very minor.”

His Honour Judge Mayo DL disagreed, stating: “The level of coercion used in this exercise by Sullivan is chilling.”

The court heard that Sullivan, who had been remanded in prison for 18 months, has a multitude of mental disabilities including autism, ADHD and OCD and had an abusive childhood.

Mr Gordon-Saker said that gang members used Sullivan for their own entertainment and they pressured him to pay them a substantial quantity of money to fix a car that he was accused of breaking.

Judge Mayo, sentencing, said: “You were not just on the cusp of gang participation you were steeped in it.

“Your victims were not much younger than you. How you managed to persuade a teaching assistant to even think about making a bank transfer in McDonald’s without using a weapon, that says something about how persuasive and chilling you must have been in the summer of 2021.”

He added: “I have read about the sad tragic journey that has been your childhood - if you could call it that - and you demonstrated in your letter to me a great increase in your maturity.”

Sullivan was sentenced to five years and three months in prison.