Man beaten and kidnapped at golf course, trial hears

The three women playing golf were sprayed in the face with an unknown substance, the court heard

A wealthy businessman was attacked and kidnapped while playing a championship golf course and kept in a cage by a gang who demanded 15 million US dollars in cryptocurrency, a trial heard.

Five men rushed towards Dylan Huang while he was playing with his PA and two other women at Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire in October, prosecutors said.

A gun was pointed at him, he was forced into a car and taken to a property in Surrey where he was held for 30 hours.

Tianfu Guo, 35, of no fixed address, is on trial at St Albans Crown Court and denies being involved in any plot.

Dylan Haung was held captive before being released near another golf club in Surrey

The jury was told another six suspects were believed to be in China.

The prosecution said on the day of the alleged attack Mr Huang was hit in the face and eyes and driven away in a black Audi Q7.

The three women were sprayed in their faces with an unknown substance, but were left at the golf course, near Welwyn Garden City.

Prosecutor Russell Pyne said the victim, in his 30s, was put into the footwell of the rear of the car with a cover over his head and his captors' feet on top of him.

He was told he would be killed with a knife after he kicked on the car door.

During the journey cuffs were applied to his hands and legs.

'Kidnappers getting angry'

Mr Huang was taken to a property at Thursley, near Godalming in Surrey, where he was blindfolded, tape was put over his mouth. and he was put in a cage where he could not stand up straight, the prosecution told the court.

The victim was given food, but was not allowed to use the lavatory.

Mr Pyne said the captors demanded Mr Huang paid them the 15 million US dollars in Bitcoin.

He told them he had stocks and shares, but they could not be accessed straight away. He spoke to his wife on a phone and had conversations with three of his friends for loans.

"After several hours it seemed the kidnappers were getting angry. They started to hurt him - hitting his leg with some sort of object," the prosecutor said.

The court heard the 30-hour ordeal suddenly ended when he was driven off in a car and released near Silvermere Golf Club in Cobham, Surrey, close to the junction of the M25 and A3.

At about 23:00 BST on 25 October a man was woken by Mr Huang knocking on his front door.

The victim gave the man £100 and arranged for him to book an Uber to his home in Mill Hill, north London.

Tianfu Guo denied the charges during an appearance at St Albans Crown Court

The court heard Mr Guo was arrested in Chinatown in London an hour before Mr Huang's release.

Mr Pyne said the defendant had been driving an Audi Q5 car that been tracked on an ANPR camera travelling in convoy with the Audi Q7, that had false registration plates, close to Brocket Hall.

The next day the Q5, a hire car with genuine registration plate, had been tracked to an area just off the A3 south of Guildford.

Prosecutors said police followed the car into London, where the defendant was arrested with more than £4,000 on him along with Chinese passports and identity cards belonging to others.

There was a video camera in the driver’s door pocket and a small telescope.

Mr Guo, who has a Mandarin interpreter in court, denies three charges:

• conspiracy to kidnap on or before 24 October 2023

• conspiracy to blackmail on or before 25 October 2023

• possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence on 24 October

Mr Pyne told the jury that in police interviews Guo said he had nothing to do with the kidnap.

The prosecution opening of the case is due to continue later.