TWO men who kidnapped a businessman and subjected him to violence and threats during a frightening ordeal lasting more than five hours have been jailed for eight years.

TWO men who kidnapped a businessman and subjected him to violence and threats during a frightening ordeal lasting more than five hours have been jailed for eight years.

Feridun Akdemir was dragged from his home in Belstead early one morning by a gang of men and was driven to London before being returned to his home later the same day.

During the journey he was punched in the face and feared for his life, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

After a trial lasting several weeks and nine hours of deliberations by the jury, Dervis Sucu, 40, of Elizabeth Way, Felixstowe, and Kalender Erdogan, 25, from London, were found guilty of kidnap yesterday by a 10-2 majority verdict.

Jailing the men, Judge John Holt said: "The background to the offence is that it is clear that Mr Akdemir owed money to several creditors and that included £30,000 owed to Sucu.

"In the months prior to March 23, 2003, you Erdogan became aware of Mr Akdemir's indebtedness and the picture I have is that you are a professional debt collector and you were involved by some of Mr Akdemir's creditors, including Sucu, who employed you in some way."

The judge said it was clear the kidnap had been pre-planned and involved the defendants going to a kebab shop in Great Yarmouth to obtain by means of threat the assistance of Mr Akdemir's business partner.

"He was taken by force to Ipswich to persuade Mr Akdemir to open the door to his home, where one of the gang managed to get him out of the house and he was dragged to a car," he added.

"The other staff at the shop in Great Yarmouth were also in a manner of speaking taken hostage for a few hours so they wouldn't blow the whistle until after Mr Akdemir had been kidnapped.

"I am satisfied there was a gun of some sort, but not much use was made of it. There was also some violence, which included a black eye to Mr Akdemir, but predominantly you relied on threats of violence.

"The kidnapping lasted five or six hours before Mr Akdemir agreed to hand over the only significant asset that he had, which was his share of the kebab shop in Great Yarmouth, and you then agreed to take him back to Ipswich."

Michael Bordman, mitigating for Sucu, described him as a hard-working family man. He added Sucu had tried for two years to get back the money he had been owed by Mr Akdemir and had become desperate.

The court heard in mitigation for Erdogan that he had moved to the UK in 1991 and had worked in restaurants and kebab shops before more recently working on a building site.

Erdogan has been in custody since June last year and the court was told his long-term aim on his release from prison was to open a kebab shop.