Oxfordshire man jailed 23 years for gang member killing

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 10 Oct, 10:19 · Archive

Kevin Wooden has been jailed for 23 years over the kidnap and death of an organised crime group member.

Kevin Wooden, 46, of Banbury in Oxfordshire, has been jailed for 23 years at Birmingham Crown Court for the kidnap and manslaughter of Tomasz Samel, 45, a member of an organised crime group. Samel was kidnapped from his home in Handsworth, Birmingham, in March 2019 by three men posing as Interpol officers. He was driven to the Liverpool area and attacked to be 'taught a lesson' over the loss of £1 million worth of cigarettes worth, illicit and counterfeit cigarettes smuggled from Poland.

Wooden and his co-defendant Kye Arthur, 35, of Bristol, were found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 23 and 22 years respectively. Both had admitted conspiracy to kidnap and falsely imprison Samel. The judge accepted they had been recruited and paid to act as Amazon delivery men and then as law enforcement officers to carry out the kidnapping.

Samel was set alight with petrol while 'naked and outnumbered' and abandoned in a remote area of Lancashire. Despite suffering catastrophic burns, he managed to reach a nearby house and seek help but died in hospital three months later. The investigation involved multiple countries including Poland, Greece and the Dominican Republic. Wooden was arrested in the Dominican Republic using a false identity and was extradited to the UK to stand trial.

How it is being reported

• Oxfordshire man jailed for 23 years after gang member 'set on fire'Kevin Wooden has been jailed for 23 years over the kidnap and killing of a gang member who was tortured, doused in petrol and set on fire.Oxford Mail · 10 Oct, 09:41
• Oxfordshire man jailed for 23 years after gang member 'set on fire'Kevin Wooden has been jailed for 23 years over the kidnap and killing of a gang member who was tortured, doused in petrol and set on fire.Oxfordshire Guardian · 10 Oct, 09:41

In this story: Kevin Wooden · Tomasz Samel · Kye Arthur · Banbury · Birmingham · Liverpool · Lancashire · Birmingham Crown Court

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