Northumbria Police have arrested ten individuals as part of an ongoing investigation into an alleged kidnapping and assault incident. The incident, which reportedly occurred on September 20, involved several people being held against their will at an address in South Tyneside and subjected to serious assaults.
In response to the reports, officers conducted dawn raids at multiple addresses in South Shields on Monday, October 23. Eight men and two women, ranging in age from 24 to 37, were apprehended on suspicion of offenses including false imprisonment, blackmail, and assault.
Among the ten individuals arrested, six men and one woman have been formally charged with various offenses. They are scheduled to appear before South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, October 25. A 30-year-old man remains in police custody, while a 29-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman have been released on bail.
Detective Inspector Mark Atherton, who is leading the investigation, expressed his concerns regarding the reported incident. He stated, “Following a concerning report made to us about a number of people being held against their will at an address in the area, an investigation was launched with a number of specialist detectives tasked with establishing exactly what happened.”
Several individuals involved in the incident sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries and have since been provided with safeguarding measures. Detective Inspector Atherton affirmed that the investigation is ongoing and still in its early stages. However, he emphasized that there is currently no perceived risk to the wider public.
Police are urging anyone with information related to the investigation to come forward and assist with their inquiries. Information can be provided by contacting Northumbria Police at 101 or through the Northumbria Police website, referencing log NP-20230921-0543.
