TWO vicious thugs who kidnapped and assaulted a Forest Hill motorist have been jailed for a total of 16 years.

Dulwich duo Taariq Fagan, aged 20, and 26-year-old cousin Michael Fergus had previously been found guilty of kidnap and robbery following a four-week trial in July.

On September 7 at Inner London Crown Court Fagan was sentenced to 10 years and Fergus was given six years.

The incident happened on September 10 last year when a 23-year-old man was sitting in his car at Brampton Road, Forest Hill, and approached by a group, one of whom reached inside and took the keys from the ignition.

As the man got out of his car hr was assaulted by the group, who forced him into a blue van.

He was driven around for two hours, as the men made calls to his friends demanding money.

They robbed their victim of personal belongings and cash and continued to assault him.

He only managed to escape once the van came to a stop near Brenchley Gardens, Honor Oak Park, where he called the police.

On November 26 another man, aged 53, was making a delivery of cigarettes to a store in Marble Arch when he was threatened and had the goods taken and put into the same blue van.

Detective Constable Mark Hughes from Southwark's Priority Crime Unit said, "This result means that two men, who have used fear and violence, have been removed from the streets.

“This was a challenging investigation which demonstrates the determination of the Metropolitan Police Service to bring such offenders to justice, and I hope it shows others like Fagan and Fergus who will use threats and violence to commit crime that they won't be tolerated."