A MOTHER-of-four has told a jury of the terrifying moment she was bundled into a van by a mob of hooded kidnappers.

Denise Garlick, 50, was handcuffed and blindfolded and held captive in a bedroom with her 20-year-old son David, a court heard.

Fighting back tears Denise described how - swathed in a sack bag and hood - she flung herself on David to protect him when he was attacked by one of their captors.

She even hatched an escape plan, intending to fling herself from an upstairs window but didn't as she feared for her son.

Taxi driver Mohammed Ayub, 51, of Bradley Road East, Nelson, denies assisting an offender.

Andrew Burke, 24, of Harpurhey, Manchester; Tunde Abiodun, 25, of Cheetham Hill, deny conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to falsely imprison and conspiracy to blackmail.

The jury heard Jervis Bailey, 23, of Woodlands Road, Cheetham Hill, pleaded guilty to false imprisonment at an earlier hearing.

Wayne Wallbank, 20, of Crumpsall, and a 17-year-old youth admitted assisting an offender.

Giving evidence at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester, Denise told how she and David were told there was a dead body in the room.

Mrs Garlick explained how she and David went to visit her husband Robert in Strangeways Prison on July 31, 2002 while he was on remand in connection with drugs offences.

As was normal they arrived shortly before 2pm and parked the borrowed car they were driving a few streets away from the prison entrance.

The visit went as planned and mother and son left around 3.15pm and walked back to the car.

Mrs Garlick described how she had unlocked the door and flung her belongings on the seat and was just about to take her coat off when someone grabbed her by the waist from behind.

Mrs Garlick, of Shaw, in Oldham, told how she was made to kneel on the floor with her jacked pulled over her head and David was then brought in.

The pair were told to "shut up" and keep their heads down and they'd be OK. The van set off but during the brief journey the captives were handcuffed.

"I was absolutely terrified," she said.

(Proceeding)