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Lucasz Herba guilty of kidnapping model Chloe Ayling | Lucasz Herba guilty of kidnapping model Chloe Ayling |
(35 minutes later) | |
A man who lured model Chloe Ayling to Italy on the promise of a photo shoot, before drugging her and bundling her into a holdall, has been found guilty of kidnap and attempted extortion. | |
Lucasz Herba, 30, held the 20-year-old Londoner captive for six days in July 2017 at a remote farmhouse near Turin. | |
Herba offered her for sale on the internet, before handing her over to the British consulate, the court heard. | |
Polish national Herba was jailed for 16 years and nine months at a Milan court. | |
The agent for Ms Ayling, from Coulsdon, south London, said the model felt "vindicated". Ms Ayling had thought she was going to die, they added. | |
Herba - described by prosecutors as a "narcissist and a fantasist who was obsessed with Miss Ayling" - was also found guilty of carrying false documents. | |
He had claimed she went with him willingly, which she denied. | He had claimed she went with him willingly, which she denied. |
'A psychopath' | |
At the start of the trial in February, a police officer told the court that Ms Ayling had suffered mental and physical abuse during the six-day ordeal in July last year. | At the start of the trial in February, a police officer told the court that Ms Ayling had suffered mental and physical abuse during the six-day ordeal in July last year. |
Her agent Adrian Sington said: "This has been an incredible burden on her shoulders for the last year in the face of media criticism of her motivation and this is vindication - her story is true. | |
"It means now she can get on with her life. It's hard if you're being painted in the press as a liar and now she's able to say, 'I know it's a bizarre story but it's a true one'." | |
He called Herba a "psychopath and a narcissist" who "behaves in such a way that it's almost impossible to believe that someone could be so stupid". | |
"So, in some ways, it's not surprising that the media found Chloe's story difficult to believe," he said. | |
"Let's not forget she was bundled into a suitcase, injected with ketamine in the boot of a car and thought she was going to die." | |
Ketamine injection | |
Ms Ayling had travelled to in Milan for an expected modelling job. | |
As she reached the studio, she was assaulted by two men who injected her with the tranquilliser drug, Ketamine. | |
She was then stripped, handcuffed, placed in a holdall bag and driven 120 miles (193km) in the boot of a car to a remote farmhouse near Turin. She was held captive for six days. | She was then stripped, handcuffed, placed in a holdall bag and driven 120 miles (193km) in the boot of a car to a remote farmhouse near Turin. She was held captive for six days. |
In his defence, Herba said he had previously met Ms Ayling and had fallen in love with her. | In his defence, Herba said he had previously met Ms Ayling and had fallen in love with her. |
He claimed he wanted to create a scandal to help her career by creating extra publicity. | He claimed he wanted to create a scandal to help her career by creating extra publicity. |
Herba said that he was inspired after watching the film By Any Means - in which a similar kidnap plot was carried out. | Herba said that he was inspired after watching the film By Any Means - in which a similar kidnap plot was carried out. |
The court ruled out any involvement from Ms Ayling. | The court ruled out any involvement from Ms Ayling. |
Another man, alleged to have been involved in the kidnap, is in the process of being extradited from the UK. He denies any involvement. | Another man, alleged to have been involved in the kidnap, is in the process of being extradited from the UK. He denies any involvement. |