Four men have been locked up after a student was “frogmarched” into an alley and robbed in a terrifying 40-minute ordeal in Nottingham city centre.
Gruesome Nighttime Robbery
In the early hours of Tuesday 18 April 2023, a 19-year-old student was grabbed by three masked men on Wellington Street. They forced him into an alley, shut the gate behind him, and prevented any escape.
The thugs stole the student’s iPhone and coerced him into handing over passcodes. They accessed his banking app and transferred £1,539.63 to another account before fleeing, taking the stolen phone with them.
Police Crack the Case
- CCTV footage helped police identify three suspects, who were tracked to a eatery in Hockley where one made a bank card transaction.
- Oliver Sapounov, 23, of Huntingdon Street, Nottingham, was named as one of the robbers. He was also linked as a company director alongside Aqeel Hussain and Sefa Duzgun.
- The other men—Aqeel Hussain, 23, from Luton, and Sefa Duzgun, 22, from London—matched suspects in the CCTV.
- A fourth man, Adeel Din, 23, from Luton, was arrested for money laundering connected to the crime.
Sentences Handed Down
- Oliver Sapounov – Found guilty of kidnap, false imprisonment, robbery, and money laundering. Jailed for six years.
- Aqeel Hussain – Pleaded guilty to the same charges. Sentenced to five years and three months.
- Sefa Duzgun – Pleaded guilty to the same charges. Sentenced to five years and three months.
- Adeel Din – Pleaded guilty to money laundering. Sentenced to 18 months.
Police Praise Team Effort
“This was a horrific crime that shook the student victim to his core. Our dedicated officers used CCTV, financial checks and warrants to bring these criminals to justice,” a Nottinghamshire Police spokesperson said.
