Four thugs who subjected their victim to a vicious, 45-minute "gangland style beating" in a flat in Kilburn have been jailed.
Myron Forbes, 23, Gael Mwanzo, 21, Prince Kodua-Owusu, 21 and Rakeem Blackford, 23 were jailed for a total of 11 years and three months.
The victim had gone to the the flat in Albert Road, Kilburn, on November 14 to collect a charging cable, when Forbes, of Alvern Road, Kilburn, threatened the man with a knife. Forbes and two men then dragged the victim into a bedroom.
First the victim was stripped, robbed of his rucksack containing his phone, Bluetooth speaker and bank cards and then racially abused. The attackers then used a belt, the charging cable and a broom handle to beat and whip him, recording the attack on their phones.
Following his 45-minute ordeal, bleach was thrown in the man's eyes, temporarily blinding him for an hour. His attackers told him that he could only get his house keys back if he went to a nearby shop and stole food and drinks for them.
The victim made it to the shop in Rupert Road and told the shopkeeper what had happened to him. The shopkeeper called the police , who forced entry into the flat and arrested Rakeem Blackford, of Stafford Road, Kilburn on suspicion of grievous bodily harm.
The following day, Gael Mwanzo of Leigham Court, Lambeth and Prince Kodua-Owusu of Walbrook Court, Rupert Road, Kilburn were arrested at their home addresses. Forbes was not present at his home address, but presented at Wembley Police Station with his solicitor later that day, where he was arrested.
All four were convicted of attempted GBH with intent and false imprisonment, while Forbes was also charged with witness intimidation.
Forbes, Mwanzo and Blackford each received a 32-month prison sentence, while Kodua-Owusu was senenced to 37 months imprisonment. The men were all sentenced at Harrow Crown Court on Wednesday (May 2).
Detective Constable James Allsopp from Brent Gangs Unit said: " The bringing of this case to court and the sentencing highlights that the CPS, Metropolitan Police Service and the local community continue to work together to show that such violence will not be tolerated and justice can still be found, even when people are threatened and intimidated.
"We urge all communities to keep working with the police so that we can continue trying to make London as safe as we possibly can."
