Two men sent to prison for kidnap of taxi driver

Two men have been sent to prison in connection with the kidnap of a taxi driver in Barton Seagrave.

On the evening of November 4, 2023, a group of people got into a pre-booked taxi in Leeson Crescent, Barton Seagrave.

Two of these people were Corey Stafford, aged 30, and Shannon John Johanson, aged 31, both previously of Northampton.

The driver asked for the fare in advance however one of the men replied to his request saying “I’m not going to give you the money, you are going to give me your money.”

The driver was then assaulted with one of the men punching him a number of times before producing a knife and taking his wallet, mobile phone and taxi driver ID badge.

Under duress, the driver was then made to drive the group to their destination however managed to get a message to his control room by speaking in another language.

Police were called and Stafford and Johanson were both arrested on suspicion of kidnap. Following an investigation, they were charged with the offence.

After pleading guilty at Northampton Crown Court in May, both men were sentenced on June 7 to three years and nine months each in prison.

Lead investigator - Detective Constable Neil Carr said: “Tackling serious violence is a priority for Northamptonshire Police and when an incident like this happens we will do everything we can to put the offenders behind bars.

“This taxi driver was simply doing his job and everyone should be able to do that without fear of violence or attack.

“I am pleased that we have managed to get justice for him and I hope the conclusion of this case allows him some closure. I’d like to thank him for his support throughout this investigation and for the courage he has shown.”