Triad hostage's 12 days of torture

A gang of Triads kidnapped a Chinese chef and chained him to a radiator during a 12-day ordeal of violence, Southwark Crown Court heard yesterday.

Xiao Ming Cao, 25, a Chinese national, was forced to make telephone calls to his family in China, telling them that if they wanted to see him alive they must pay a pounds 40,000 ransom.

An international police operation was launched, with officers liaising with authorities in China. After two weeks, police traced Mr Cao to a house in Holloway, north London, where they arrested five men, all Chinese nationals.

Peter Clarke, for the prosecution, said Mr Cao was kidnapped as he walked past Hendon underground station, north London, on his way home from work on 22 June last year.