A gangster who was jailed for his role in the kidnap and torturing a devout Muslim man has received another prison sentence, despite refusing to leave his cell.

Darren Vassell, from Uxbridge, was given an additional 12 months in prison for criminal damage and driving offences, just a month after he was jailed for 18 years for the brutal and sustained attack on Mohammed Mirza.

The 35-year-old, a former businessman who owned a sofa showroom in Ealing, had been seen driving erratically in his Ford Focus and weaving in and out of traffic on July 26 2014.

After he was stopped and placed under arrest in the back of a police car, Vassell grabbed water bottles and poured water all over the electronics inside, causing damage worth nearly £500.

He also ripped pages out of a ring binder and snapped one of the officer’s £150 Aviator sunglasses.

Vassell, from St Luke Close in Cowley, was still on bail for this attack when he and other gang members forced Mr Mirza into the back of a white Vauxhall van outside Kimms Kutts salon in Hounslow, on June 18 last year.

The victim was ordered to eat KFC chicken wings even though he was fasting for Ramadan and forced to urinate in a bottle after being locked inside the vehicle overnight.

The gang set a ransom of £3,500 for his release, and Mr Mirza was also beaten with a metal bar and an iron, stabbed and forced to drink alcohol at Vassell’s home.

He was finally rescued by police officers on June 20, when he was found covered in blood and cowering in a corner.

Destructive behaviour

Judge John Bevan QC jailed the six-man gang to a total of 71 and a half years last month. And on March 4 the same judge sentenced Vassell in his absence to another 12 months concurrent for the earlier incident, after the defendant admitted to careless driving, driving while disqualified and two counts of criminal damage.

Judge Bevan said: “I was unaware of these matters when I sentenced him recently, but it is another example of extremely destructive behaviour by Mr Vassell, who refused to leave his cell and is therefore being sentenced in his absence.

“He did his best to wreck the interior of a police car while under arrest and it took about half an hour, he being a very large and powerful man when aroused, for other police to come and to arrest him and bring the situation under control.”

Violent and sadistic torture

Vassell had been jailed in February after pleading guilty to kidnap, blackmail, two counts of false imprisonment, and causing grievous bodily harm.

His brother Marvin Vassell, of the same address, was jailed for 13 and a half years after pleading guilty to blackmail, false imprisonment, and causing grievous bodily harm.

Other gang members were also imprisoned. Derek Johnston, from St Christopher Road, Hounslow was jailed for 21 years after pleading guilty to kidnap, blackmail, two counts of false imprisonment and causing grievous bodily harm.

Aaron Ellis of Chestnut Avenue, Hillingdon was jailed for nine years after pleading guilty to false imprisonment and causing grievous bodily harm.

Jamal McLaughlin of Gravesend Road, Shepherds Bush was jailed for six years after being found guilty of kidnap, blackmail and false imprisonment on January 25.

And Carlton Rodney, from Charles Road, Ealing was jailed for four years after being found guilty of blackmail on the same date. He was cleared of kidnap and false imprisonment.