Two men have been handed substantial prison sentences for an orchestrated kidnapping and robbery that saw victims forced to hand over nearly £4,000 in Southampton last October.
Tyrese Lee Geddes, 20, from Eastleigh, and Barry James Smith, 20, from Southampton, were sentenced at Southampton Crown Court following a harrowing incident that began in a Crosshouse Road car park.
The court heard how the defendants, part of a larger group, approached two young men aged 20 and 18 on the evening of 6 October 2024. After attempting to sell drugs to the victims, who declined, Geddes and Smith forced them into a vehicle under threat of violence.
During what Police Staff Investigator Katie Butler described as a “truly despicable” ordeal, the victims were coerced into making bank transfers and ATM withdrawals totalling £3,770 before being abandoned in Hoglands Park.
Geddes, of Meadow Lane, received the heavier sentence of ten years and four months after additional charges of driving while disqualified and operating a vehicle without insurance were taken into account. His accomplice Smith, of Paignton Road, was sentenced to five years behind bars.
Both men had entered guilty pleas to charges of kidnap and robbery at an earlier hearing.
Speaking after the sentencing, Investigator Butler of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Western Criminal Investigation Department said: “What these two young men went through has understandably had a massive impact on their lives. While this sentence cannot undo the trauma they have endured, we hope it provides some comfort knowing these dangerous offenders are now behind bars.”
The case highlights ongoing efforts by Hampshire Police to combat violent crime in Southampton. Butler issued a stark warning to would-be criminals: “We will not tolerate these types of violent, intrusive and intimidating crimes in Southampton. We will do everything in our power to identify and arrest offenders, bringing them before the courts to face the consequences of their actions.”
The sentencing comes amid increased focus on drug-related violence in the Southampton area, with police implementing targeted operations to disrupt criminal activities and protect vulnerable individuals.
