Two guilty of attack on man found "bloodied and confused" near beauty spot

TWO thugs who bundled a man into the back of a van, attacked him and left him at a beauty spot have been found guilty of kidnapping and false imprisonment.

Nathan Stather and Darren Roberts abducted Ashley Stringer from Swinton in June last year and assaulted him before leaving him at Manvers Lake unconscious and covered in blood.

The pair went on trial at Sheffield Crown Court on Tuesday and were both convicted of kidnapping and false imprisonment this afternoon.

Stather was found guilty of wounding with intent and Roberts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Mr Stringer told the jury this week how he had feared for his life after being thrown into the back of a van by two men who approached as he walked home with his girlfriend, Abbie Grey, walked home from the Café Sport bar in Swinton at 1am on June 17.

He said he had recognised Stather, of New Street, Barnsley, who was Ms Grey’s ex-boyfriend, but did not know Roberts, of Victoria Street, Rotherham.

Mr Stringer told how a van he did not recognise had pulled up as they walked home, “then two (men) get out and chuck me in the van”.

He claimed Stather said to him: “I’ve heard you was going to break me.”

Mr Stringer said he had not threatened to hurt Stather and believed the false rumour had started in the Bridge Bar.

Asked what the men had done to him, he said: “They approached me, grabbed me and that, put me in the van and put me at knife-point.”

Mr Stringer said Roberts had got in the back of the van with him, while Stather drove and Ms Grey sat in the front.

Mr Sheldon asked: “What did he (Roberts) do when you and him were in the back of the van?”

He replied: “He tried to make me leave Abbey, he had a knife and that.”

Mr Sheldon asked: “What did he do with the knife?”

Mr Stringer, who said he had been “scared for my life”, said: “He was just waving it about really, he was telling me to leave Abbey.”

He said the knife had not been used on him when he was conscious but he had been knocked unconscious and woken up alone in Manvers Lake car park and found slash marks on his body.

Mr Stringer said: “I honestly didn’t know where I was at the time.

“My eyes were swollen and I had slashes to the side of my head, on my hand and near my eye.

“I could just about see out of my eye.”

Mr Stringer said he had begun walking towards Mexborough when two passing women came to his aid and took him to Manvers Fire Station.

The court heard the victim was covered in blood and in a confused and panicked state when he was found.

The police were called and Mr Stringer was taken to hospital for stitches and further treatment.

Roberts and Stather will be sentenced at a later date.