A honeytrap woman boasted ‘got him’ in a text after she lured a charity worker to a faux date where he was kidnapped and assaulted with an iron bar.
Shannon Wolleter, 29, participated in a cruel plot alongside four other men to lure charity worker Anthony Cooper to a location and brutally beat him over a Facebook status row.
The victim, who was left ‘bloodied and dazed’ by the shameless gang, was targeted after his girlfriend Bethany Love updated her Facebook status to confirm they were back together, Birmingham Crown Court heard.
Steven Baker, 60, hatched the plot with his son Matthew Baker, 29, because he did not approve of the reconciled relationship as it was once suggested Ms Love had been previously linked to his son.
It was also claimed that Mr Cooper owed the Bakers money, with the father-and-son later allegedly labelling him a ‘paedophile, rapist and sex offender’.
The gang then enticed Mr Cooper to a flat in Small Heath, Birmingham, by using Wolleter who played ‘an integral role’, gleefully texting ‘got him’ when their plan successfully panned out, the court was told.
Wolleter’s then-boyfriend Daniel Aston, 33, was also involved in the kidnap scheme, whilst David Bamborough, 41, was persuaded to allow the group to use his home in Birmingham for the attack, the court heard.
All five – as well as the victim – worked for the same local charity feeding the homeless.
Shannon Wolleter, 29, participated in a cruel plot alongside four other men to lure charity worker Anthony Cooper to a location and brutally beat him over a Facebook row
The court heard she gleefully texted ‘got him’ after successfully enticing the victim to a location where he was attacked
Lynette McClement, prosecuting, told the court that the group used Wolleter to ‘set [the victim] up’, by arranging to meet via text.
Wolleter claimed that she was no longer involved with Aston – also known as Paddy – whilst trying to lure the victim to a certain location.
Baker senior arrived in a white Mercedes, striking Mr Cooper and dragging him into the vehicle.
‘They set him up. They used Shannon Wolleter to do this,’ Ms McClement said. ‘She arranged to meet him and there are messages between the two that show arrangements.
‘She said to him she fancied him and she wasn’t involved with Daniel Aston (also known as Paddy) any more.
‘The prosecution say this was by the design and instigation of these defendants, getting him to come and meet her.’
It was heard that Mr Cooper was dubious about meeting with Wolleter as he feared possible retaliation from her then partner Aston.
‘He said ‘I’m scared of Paddy, he will kill me’. She answers him ‘no he won’t, I’m single now, I’m not with him anymore’,’ Ms Clement told the court.
The prosecution said the whole text conversation was orchestrated to lure the victim so he could be snatched into the car by Baker senior.
‘While this is ongoing and he’s walking towards the bus stop she is in constant contact with her boyfriend Daniel Aston. Her last message to him was ‘got him’,’ Ms Clement added.
Steven Baker pPictured) hatched the plot with his son Matthew Baker, 29, because he did not approve of the reconciled relationship between Mr Cooper and Ms Love
It was once suggested Ms Love had been previously linked to his son, Matthew Baker (pictured)
After Mr Cooper was struck and bundled into the vehicle by Baker senior, Wolleter got into the vehicle, and was shortly followed by Matthew Baker and Aston.
Matthew Baker threatened to cut off the victim’s legs and cut out his tongue while Aston throttled and punched Mr Cooper.
He was taken to a house in Langley Road, Small Heath where Bambrough, whose address it was, joined in the assault by kicking him as Baker junior hit him over the head with a metal bar.
Mr Cooper was then transported to a park because Bambrough, who stayed at the flat, was worried his neighbour would call the police, the court was told.
The victim was forced to the floor at the new location, where he was subjected to an ‘unpleasant’ attack, and repeatedly kicked in the genitals, Ms McClement told the court.
‘Aston and Matthew and Steven Baker are all kicking him while on the ground, kicking him to the ribs and back,’ she said.
‘He remembers screaming “you are hurting me” and remembers Steven Baker saying “good, you deserve it”, and he didn’t know why he deserved it.’
Before Mr Cooper was set free – and later found unconscious on his doorstep by his flatmates – Aston stripped him of his phone and bank card.
He was then driven to hospital having sustained serious injuries.
Mr Cooper vividly remembered was how much ‘pleasure’ Matthew Baker took in the assaults, as he sent pictures of him ‘bloodied and dazed’ to other people.
The five defendants were due to go on trial at Birmingham Crown Court at the end of February but each eventually pleaded guilty.
Aston, of Aldridge Road, Perry Barr, was the first to admit kidnap, robbery and unlawful wounding as a lesser alternative to inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent.
Bambrough, of Langley Road, Small Heath was next with the prosecution accepting a plea to a single count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm for his involvement.
Wolleter, of Tame Road, Aston admitted kidnap and unlawful wounding.
She maintains she did not send all of the messages to Mr Cooper in order to lure him to meet with her and has blamed Aston.
It is still to be resolved exactly who sent which texts, although the prosecution has argued that evidence suggests the couple were in different locations at the time.
The Bakers upheld their denials and were briefly put on trial, but after the case was put before a jury they too pleaded guilty to kidnap and unlawful wounding.
The group will be sentenced at a later date.
