Father and son pretended to be police using blue lights before kidnapping unsuspecting victim

A father and son put blue lights on their car to impersonate police officers before they kidnapped a victim.

James Ball senior, 37, and his son James Ball junior, 18, were in a car while following a taxi, before they attacked the man inside. Ball senior dragged the man out of the cab and bundled him into his car saying, "You are coming with me", in Leek, near Stoke-on-Trent. The son then struck the victim's head with a dart causing it to bleed while his dad continued to attack him.

The horror ordeal, on March 10, came to a shocking end when Ball Senior said: "I have mistaken you for someone else, get out."

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Prosecutor Jennifer Devans-Tamakloe, at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, said: "The Vauxhall flashed its blue lights causing the taxi driver to believe it was the police. He stopped his cab and saw the driver, James Ball Senior, get out of the Vauxhall wearing a hi-vis jacket. He approached the taxi and said to the passenger, 'You are coming with me', dragged him out of the taxi, onto the floor so he was led on his back.

"The man was punched to his arms and dragged by the scruff of his neck into the Vauxhall. He tried to defend himself but was grabbed all over his body. Ball senior said, 'You are coming with me'."

Ball senior drove erratically, causing the victim to fear for his safety, according to StokeonTrentLive. The dad tried to hit the man 15 times, the court heard.

The victim said Ball junior also tried to hit him, but not as many times. However, the teenager did strike the man's head with a dart and caused it to bleed.

Ball senior eventually said: "I have mistaken you for someone else, get out," and unlocked the car doors. The victim was left with a dart graze, scratches to his arm, back and shoulder, pain in his shoulder and he was left feeling frightened.

Both men, of Beatty Road, Leek, pleaded guilty to kidnap. Ball junior admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Ball senior admitted impersonating a police officer. Ball senior has been jailed for three years and his son was locked up for 27 months.

Steve Hennessy, mitigating for Ball senior, said people who knew him described him as a dependable family man who behaved out of character. Hennessy said: "There is no suggestion he tries to point the blame somewhere else. There is no suggestion from him that his behaviour was in any way justified or appropriate. It was of short duration. It very quickly came to an end."

Kelly Cyples, representing James Ball junior, said he was the passenger and did not exit the vehicle. She said: "It is not accepted it was planned. He was not aware of any debt of any sort. He was simply out with his father in the car. He accepts at some point he must have had a dart in his hand. He played darts with his father at pubs. He has asked me to express his genuine regret and remorse for his actions."

Judge Richard McConaghy said: "The two of you were in a car travelling behind a taxi. You had blue lights on. You flashed them purporting to be the police. The taxi pulled over.

"You, James Ball senior, got out of the car and approached the taxi. You opened the door and grabbed hold of the passenger. You said, 'You are coming with me'. You punched him and got him into your car telling him to stop resisting and you threw him on to the back seat.

"When the taxi driver attempted to intervene you told him to, 'f*** off before you get arrested', continuing your pretence that you were a police officer. James Ball senior drove off erratically. The pair of you repeatedly assaulted him by hitting him. James Ball junior hit him to the head with a dart causing a significant scratch and a cut to the scalp that bled.

"James Ball senior threatened to take him to the tops in Leek and strip him down. After a while you told him you had mistaken him for someone else and told him to get out of the car. It does have evidence of planning by the hi-vis jacket and the use of the blue lights."