Kidnappers jailed after teenager is left with life-changing injuries

Jurors were shown the CCTV footage as Chay Bowskill, of Empingham Drive, was this week jailed for seven-and-a-half year after being convicted of the offence at a Leicester Crown Court trial.

Ambulance paramedics had found 19-year-old Angel Lynn lying seriously injured on the carriageway near Loughborough, on the morning of September 17, 2020.

Angel was left with life-changing injuries and her family released a moving statement after the court case saying ‘we try to put smiles on our faces each day but inside our hearts are bleeding out’.

Det Ch Insp Tony Yarwood, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit Major Crime team, who was the senior investigating officer, said: “Angel is a young woman who had plans and aspirations in place and the rest of her life to look forward to.

“Because of the extent of her injuries she now faces constant medical treatment and round the clock care.

“Her family remain devastated by what has happened and I praise the strength and bravery they have shown and continue to demonstrate to this day.

“No verdict or subsequent sentence can make up for the quality of life this young woman has lost.”

Bowskill was also found guilty of coercive and controlling behaviour and perverting the course of justice at the hearing but he was found not guilty of a charge of section 18 grievous bodily harm.

His accomplice, 20-year-old Rocco Sansome, of Wanlip Lane, Birstall, was also found guilty of kidnap and sentenced to 21 months in prison.

The hearing was told that shortly before being found injured, Angel was seen exiting a silver transit van which had pulled up in Loughborough Road in Mountsorrel.

Bowskill followed her out of the van, forcibly picked her up in the street and carried her back into the van. The vehicle which was being driven by a Sansome then swiftly left the area at speed.

At some point in the journey, Angel is believed to have fallen from the vehicle while it travelled along the A6.

Members of public approached police officers after they came across Angel Lynn lying in the road and, at the same time, the force control room started to receive a number of calls from concerned members of the public – unaware of what had happened - reporting that they had seen something in the road as they travelled past.

A crew from East Midlands Ambulance Service attended the scene and the Angel was taken to hospital - despite intensive medical intervention she remains in hospital with life-changing injuries.

Angel’s father, Paddy, said: “We try to remain strong but we know that every day will be difficult and a struggle for us all especially Angel.

“I know that Angel will never get married now and I will never get to walk my daughter down the aisle.

“Nikki and I will never be grandparents to Angel’s children.

“We don’t know what the future holds for our daughter but we try to put smiles on our faces each day but inside our hearts are bleeding out. “

He added in a moving statement: “Angel was so full of life and had such a great future ahead of her.

“That future has sadly been taken away from her.

“The catastrophic injuries Angel suffered will mean life will never be the same for her or our family.”