MORE than £37,000 has been confiscated from two men who are behind bars for the kidnap of a Blackburn man two years ago.

Artur Skenderaj, 37, of Higher Road, and Barry Tierney, 42, of Field Lane, both Liverpool, pleaded guilty to blackmail and were sentenced to seven years for the kidnap of Paul Gallagher in December, 2006.

Now Skenderaj has been told he must hand over £4,771 from the proceeds of his crimes at Preston Crown Court.

Tierney was said to have benefited from his crime by £34,940.

The court held that his assets amount to £32,500 which he has been ordered to pay within six months or face an additional nine-month prison sentence by default and still owe the money upon release, including any interest.

Mr Gallagher was kidnapped from his home in Blackburn in February 2006 by four men and taken to Liverpool. He was then held hostage for three days in the Anfield and Aigburth areas of the city.

Ransom demands were made to the hostage’s father and arrangements were made to hand over the cash.

Det Sgt Kathryn Cussans: “This has been a long and complex investigation that should send a strong message to the criminal fraternity that we are making full use of the powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act and these are having a real impact on the individuals targeted.”