A man with two children was kidnapped by individuals posing as Interpol officers, transported over 100 miles, tortured, and set on fire following the loss of £1 million worth of cigarettes, according to a court testimony.
Tomasz Samel, aged 45, was reportedly taken in Birmingham in 2019 and then moved to the Liverpool region where he endured a harrowing experience, as claimed by prosecutors.
Despite sustaining severe injuries, Samel managed to make it to the residence of strangers who promptly called for emergency assistance. However, he tragically passed away in the hospital three months later, as revealed in the Birmingham Crown Court hearing.
Allegations suggest that the assault was a reprisal for the seizure of illegal and counterfeit cigarettes from Poland that were smuggled into the UK and confiscated by HM Revenue and Customs.
Jurors were informed by Harpreet Sandhu KC that Neil Jones, Kevin Wooden, Kye Arthur, and Tobiasz Kozlowski are all accused of the murder of Samel and had planned to take him to a secluded area to teach him a lesson.
Wooden, Arthur, Jones, and Kozlowski have denied charges of murder and conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm.
The court was informed by the prosecutor that Samel was abducted, confined in a white Peugeot Boxer van, and transported to Merseyside where he faced torture and severe harm, including being set on fire.
Witnesses stated that Jones and Kozlowski were reportedly present during Samel’s torture and burning, while Wooden and Arthur were said to have been involved in plotting the attack.
Authorities disclosed that Samel’s property in Aston, Birmingham, was raided by HM Revenue and Customs, leading to the seizure of cigarettes.
Medical responders indicated that Samel suffered extensive burns covering 75% of his body, with his genitals being a primary target of the fire, making it one of the most dreadful incidents encountered by the police.
The Crown’s KC mentioned that Samel was likely naked and seated when the fire was ignited.
Jones admitted to manslaughter, conspiracy to kidnap, and conspiracy to falsely imprison, while Wooden, Arthur, and Kozlowski denied manslaughter charges.
Kozlowski denied involvement in the conspiracy to kidnap and falsely imprison, whereas Jones, Wooden, and Arthur admitted to the conspiracy charges.
It was revealed in court that Wooden had allegedly fled overseas following the incident, with a £10,000 reward offered for his capture. He was eventually extradited from the Dominican Republic after West Midlands Police released his photo, leading to his arrest in July 2025 under an international arrest warrant issued by Mexican authorities for a separate child kidnapping allegation.
The trial is ongoing.
