A gang of kidnappers tortured a man in a field after they wrongly suspected him of stealing £40,000 worth of crack and heroin.

The 22-year-old male victim was kidnapped at knifepoint in Plumstead by a group of four men shortly at 11.45pm on April 19.

The group was made up of Daniel Edwards, 49, of Gilbourne Road, Greenwich, Kofi Francis, 23, of Whetstone Road, Greenwich, Daren Davis, 27 of Bostall Hill, Greenwich and Daniel Cogger, 26, of no fixed abode.

The gang believed the victim had stolen £30,000 to £40,000 of crack cocaine and heroin from a drugs safe house in Gilbourne Road, Plumstead. They demanded he give them the drugs back.

Francis and Davis drove him out into the countryside and attacked him with a knife during the journey.

Then, they took him into fields in Southfleet, near Dartford. The pair began to torture, stab and beat the victim.

Meanwhile, Cogger and Edwards went to search an address in London to try and get the drugs back.

The vicious attack only ended when the Kent, Sussex and Surrey Air Ambulance helicopter flew over the fields testing its search light before going to unrelated traffic collision a mile away.

The torturers thought it was the police and they panicked and scrambled to get away. This allowed the victim to escape.

The victim was treated in hospital for serious stab wounds the hands and he has still not recovered from his injuries.

Edwards was arrested at home three days later, where police found a drugs factor and a large amount of crack in a safe.

The other members of the gang were caught after they were found speaking with each other.

When Francis was remanded in prison for the kidnapping, he recruited an associate called Dillian to offer the victim £12,000 to withdraw his prosecution.

However, undercover police officers thwarted their plan before any money was paid.

The gang was convicted at Woolwich Crown Court and will be sentenced on December 20.

Here is a breakdown of the convictions:

Edwards was found guilty on Wednesday, November 29, of conspiracy to kidnap and one count of being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine.

Francis was found guilty on Wednesday, November 29, of one count of conspiracy to kidnap, and of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. On Thursday, November 30, he was found guilty of grievous bodily harm and robbery.

Davis was found guilty of conspiracy to kidnap on Wednesday, November 29. He was found not guilty of robbery. On Thursday, November 30 he was found not guilty of grievous bodily harm.

Cogger was found guilty on Wednesday, November 29, of conspiracy to kidnap.

In addition, Dillian Ode, 23 of Kirtley Road, Lewisham, was found guilty on Wednesday, November 29, of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Ode will be sentenced at Woolwich Crown court on Friday, December 1.

Two people were found not guilty of offences related to the kidnapping.

Lily May Francis, 19, of Halfway Street, Sidcup, was found not guilty on Wednesday, November 29, of conspiracy to kidnap

Louis Flemming, 19, of Bostall Hill, Greenwich, was found not guilty during the trial on a judge's direction.