Witness warning to kidnap case jury

Jurors at the trial of two brothers accused of conspiring to kidnap a Telford man and attacking him with a meat cleaver have been warned not to base their verdict by which witnesses they disliked the least.

Matthew Thomas and Liam Thomas deny conspiring with another person to kidnap Timothy Swift on November 16 last year.

The brothers also deny the wounding with intent of Mr Swift on the same date when they allegedly struck him with a meat cleaver at Matthew Thomas's flat at Oxford Road, Dawley.

Starting his summing up of the case yesterday at Shrewsbury Crown Court, Judge Robin Onions warned jurors their verdict should not be made on the basis of "which witnesses we dislike the least".

"It's not a popularity contest," he warned the jurors.

The judge also warned the jurors not to allow the brothers' troubled pasts to prejudice the verdict.

The jury had earlier heard that Liam Thomas, 27, of Stone Row, Malinslee, had served time in prison for violence.

His 32-year-old brother Matthew was said to have had a drugs habit and it was alleged in court that the attack was sparked by a row over a drugs debt.

The court had also heard allegations that Mr Swift was a drugs dealer.

The court earlier heard that Matthew Thomas had admitted causing injury to Mr Swift during a row over a £350 drugs debt on November 16 but said he had acted in self-defence.

Judge Onions is expected to conclude his summing up today. The trial continues.