A MAN who bundled a woman into a van in Mountsorrel minutes before she was found seriously injured on the A6 has been convicted of kidnap.
Chay Bowskill, 20, was found guilty following a trial at Leicester Crown Court earlier this week, where he was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years.
Bowskill, of Empingham Drive, Syston, was also convicted of coercive and controlling behaviour and perverting the course of justice. He was found not guilty of a charge of section 18 grievous bodily harm.
A second man, Rocco Sansome, 20, of Wanlip Lane, Birstall, was also found guilty of kidnap.
He was sentenced to 21 months in prison for his part in the crime.
The incident happened at around 10.45am on Thursday 17 September 2020. Members of the public approached officers after they came across 19-year-old Angel Lynn lying seriously injured in the carriageway of the A6 near Loughborough.
Video: Leicestershire Police
At the same time, the force control room also started to receive a number of calls from concerned members of the public – unaware of what had happened – reporting that they had seen something in the road as they travelled past.
Colleagues from the East Midlands Ambulance Service attended the scene and the Angel was taken to hospital. Despite intensive medical intervention she remains in hospital with life-changing injuries.
An investigation by Leicestershire Police uncovered that shortly before being found injured, Angel was seen exiting a silver transit van which had pulled up in Loughborough Road in Mountsorrel. Bowskill followed her out of the van, forcibly picked her up in the street and carried her back into the van. The vehicle which was being driven by Sansome then swiftly left the area at speed.
At some point in the journey after, Angel (pictured), exited the vehicle while it travelled along the A6.
Further enquiries later identified the man who carried out the kidnap was Bowskill – who was Angel’s boyfriend – while the driver was Sansome. Both men were arrested at the scene.
Detective Chief Inspector Tony Yarwood from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit Major Crime team was the senior investigating officer. He said: “Angel is a young woman who had plans and aspirations in place and the rest of her life to look forward to. Because of the extent of her injuries she now faces constant medical treatment and round the clock care.
“Her family remain devastated by what has happened and I praise the strength and bravery they have shown and continue to demonstrate to this day.
“No verdict or subsequent sentence can make up for the quality of life this young woman has lost.”
Paying tribute to his daughter, Angel’s father, Paddy, said: “Our lives have been changed beyond recognition forever. Angel was so full of life and had such a great future ahead of her. That future has sadly been taken away from her.
“The catastrophic injuries Angel suffered will mean life will never be the same for her or our family. Every day is not only a huge struggle for Angel but also a huge struggle for our family and friends. We are lucky in some ways as we are a close family, we have lots of lovely friends who help us and people that care in other ways.
“We try to remain strong but we know that every day will be difficult and a struggle for us all especially for Angel. I know that Angel will never get married now and I will never get to walk my daughter down the aisle. Nikki and I will never be grandparents to Angel’s children. We don’t know what the future holds for our daughter but we try to put smiles on our faces each day but inside our hearts are bleeding out.”
