Teens appear in court after five-hour kidnap ordeal

Photo / File

Three teenage boys who allegedly subjected another group of teens to a five-hour kidnapping ordeal appeared in court today.

The boys, aged 14, 15 and 17, appeared in the Hutt Valley Youth Court facing one charge each of kidnapping, aggravated robbery and threatening to do grievous bodily harm.

A police spokesman said two were remanded on bail and the third was remanded in Child, Youth and Family care. They are due to appear in court again later this week.

The names of the boys, their schools and their alleged victims are suppressed under Youth Court reporting rules.

Police allege the boys held up a group of three young men, aged 18 and 19, who were sitting in a car in the Lower Hutt suburb of Wainuiomata about 8pm on Saturday.

They climbed into the vehicle and allegedly threatened the young men with a weapon, which was initially believed to be a knife. It was later revealed to be a screwdriver.

Detective Sergeant Christiaan Barnard said the alleged offenders took the victims' wallets and mobile phones, which meant they could not call for help.

They then made the victims drive around different parts of the Wellington region, including Porirua, Wellington City and Lower Hutt for the next four to five hours.

Friends of the victims became concerned for their welfare and contacted police.

Police found the car, with the offenders still in the vehicle, in the Lower Hutt suburb of Waiwhetu about 1.30am yesterday.

The victims suffered minor injuries and were shaken by the ordeal, police said.