Man jailed after pleading guilty to Northampton kidnap and assault

A Northampton man who drove off in a delivery van with the driver stuck in the back has been jailed after admitting kidnap, assault and driving without insurance.

Connor Terry Malone, aged 31, appeared before Northampton Crown Court for sentencing after admitting three offences relating to an incident in Semilong in the early morning of September 10.

At around 4.30am that day, a man was delivering newspapers in Wellingborough Road when Malone got into the driver’s seat of the man’s Mercedes Sprinter van, before driving off with him still in the back of the vehicle and the side door wedged open.

Malone, of Whitworth Road, Northampton, then drove around the area for around 40 minutes, before agreeing to let the delivery driver go if he gave him money.

When Malone stopped at the junction of the A508 Kingsthorpe Road and Burleigh Road to take the victim to a cash machine, the man grabbed him, only for Malone to then bite him on the arm.

Police officers attending an incident nearby heard the commotion and arrested Malone, who went on to be charged with kidnap, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and using a vehicle on a road/public place without third party insurance.

On Thursday, December 14, Malone appeared at Northampton Crown Court and was sentenced to a total of two years’ imprisonment, disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for two years, had his licence endorsed with eight penalty points, and was ordered to pay costs of £187.

Speaking afterwards, investigating officer Detective Constable Katie Ryder, of CID West, said: “I’m really pleased to see Connor Malone given a sentence that reflects the seriousness of his offending on the morning of September 10.

“In the victim’s personal statement, he detailed how scared he was during the incident, not least because of how fast and erratically Malone was driving, and made worse by the fact that the van door was stuck open throughout.

“I can’t imagine how frightening it would be to be in the back of that van with no seatbelt or anything to hold onto, and I would commend the man for his bravery in going on to detain Malone when he was finally able to escape.

“Malone’s decisions that day clearly put this man’s life at risk and I hope he uses his time in prison to reflect and make better choices in the future.”