A kidnapper who held a terrified barman hostage in

A kidnapper who held a terrified barman hostage in a bizarre
bid to find out if police were closing on a team of pub robbers
is now facing a jail sentence.

Raymond Abidoph, 33, used a pretty blonde in a BMW sports car
as bait to lure barman Thomas Gaines, from Settle, N.

Yorks, to
where he could be nabbed.

But bungling Abidoph chose the wrong victim and kidnapped the
wrong man.

At the Old Bailey, Abidoph, of Chapman Road, Croydon, was
found guilty of kidnap and attempting to pervert the course of
justice.

But he was cleared of involvement in the robbery of the
Pavilion pub in Wood Lane, Shepherds Bush, London, on February
17 last year.

Abidoph, who was picked out on an identity parade by one
robbbery witness, but not by any of the others, claimed he was
the victim of mistaken identity.

The court was told three robbers had burst into the pub at
11am as manager Mr Malcolm Brown-Allen was meeting with a
business colleague, Mr Alex Hynd.

Mr Brown-Allen was robbed of more than pnd stlng 5,000 cash
at gunpoint.

The thorough bandits even stole Mr Hynds’s wallet,
containing pnds stlng 75, before running off.

Police had no leads as to the identities of the bandits.

Then on March 5, Abidoph launched his bizarre kidnap scheme.

Julie Ibrahim, who admitted kidnap, was recruited to go into
the pub and confide to the barman that her BMW had broken down.

The barman was Mr Gaines.

After closing time, he spotted her beside the BMW and stopped
to offer his assistance.

Abidoph then approached, flashed a knife
and ordered him into the boot.

He was then driven to Ms Ibrahim’s flat in Yeomans Close,
Streatham, SW London, where he was kept prisoner overnight.

But any hope that Mr Gaines might be able to tell of progress
made by the police was dashed because he was not present at the
robbery and knew nothing of the investigation.

Mr Gaines, at the time of the kidnap a live-in barman at
the pub who has since returned to his native Yorkshire, was
released the following morning in Hammersmith, SW London.

Abidoph was arrested later.

His fingerprints were found
throughout the Streatham flat and the BMW was registered at his
address, the court heard.

Mr Gaines picked him out on a security video.

Abidoph, who denied all the charges, did not give evidence.

Sentence was adjourned until Friday (April 2).

ENDS