An Ipswich woman tried to kill herself after she was taken to London and locked in a loft, a court has heard.

During her three day ordeal, Minique Rivett was allegedly left without food and water and was punched in the stomach and slapped in the face, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

David Wilson, prosecuting, said Miss Rivett was so upset about what was happening to her that she tried to kill herself by tying her jumper round her neck but was unsuccessful.

She eventually managed to escape by kicking the loft door open and ran to a neighbour's house to get help.

"The neighbour heard a voice at her door saying 'help me' and when she opened it she saw Minique Rivett shaking like a leaf and saying 'help me I've been kidnapped from Ipswich'," said Mr Wilson.

Before the court are Louie Charles, 19, of Wivenhoe Park, Colchester; Tye Parker, 20, of Burr Close, Harwich; Mubarak Jaye, 18, of Seward Street, London, and Cuthbert Charles, 58, of Featherstone, Wolverhampton.

Louie Charles, Parker and Jaye have denied falsely imprisoning Miss Rivett between March 4 and March 10 and Louie Charles and Parker also deny an offence of blackmail.

Louie Charles and Parker also deny kidnapping Laurel Aiken on March 18 and Louie Charles, Cuthbert Charles and Parker deny falsely imprisoning Mr Aiken between March 7 and March 16.

The court heard that Miss Rivett, who had a history of drug use, had been living in a house in Spring Road, Ipswich, with her mother and the owner of the property.

Miss Rivett told police she had been told by two men on March 4 this year that she owed money and was told to get the owner of the house she was staying to get a loan to settle the debt.

On March 5 the house owner tried to get a loan from his bank but was unsuccessful and on the same day Miss Rivett was taken by taxi to a house in Bradford Road, Ipswich, before being taken to a house in Tottenham where she was barricaded into the loft.

While Miss Rivett was being held at the house the owner of the house in Spring Road allegedly received a number of telephone calls asking him for money.

Mr Wilson said Laurel Aiken, who lived in the house in Tottenham where Miss Rivett was held against her will, was allegedly kidnapped and held against his will at Cuthbert Charles's flat in Wolverhampton.

The trial continues.