THREE men, including one from Bolton, who attacked a drug dealer and forced him into a home for 15 minutes and removed his shoes have been jailed for eight months.

Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard Ben Smalley got a call from an unknown number asking him for his postcode.

His phone records showed he had been involved in cannabis dealing.

Shortly after giving his postcode he was visited by a car with false registration plates containing Lee Cadwallader, Harry Davies and Callum Pearson.

The trio drove with him to a property on Waverley Street in Manchester owned by a relative of Pearson and then forced him in against his will and held him there.

They had all been charged with kidnapping but pleaded to the lesser charge of affray.

Prosecutor Bob Sastry said: “The CCTV shows Mr Smalley standing outside the house for about 30 seconds. The three defendants then come out and punched him, he was dragged in.

“All three pushed Mr Smalley inside the house.

“Fifteen minutes later a defendant came to pick something up off the floor. Police were alerted by a third party.

They arrived to see Mr Smalley in the street with no footwear.

“Police went into the property, took some time to locate the defendants and arrested them.”

Representing Cadwallader, 32 and from Bolton Road in Kearsley, David James said the case would have resolved earlier if Mr Smalley had been honest. He claimed water was poured on him but was found with dry clothes.

Representing Davies, 28 and from Maybrook Walk in Manchester, Max Saffman said his client had made an offer to plead to the lesser charge at an earlier hearing.

Representing Pearson, 22 from Tewskbury Road in Manchester, Paul Bryony said his client had been out of trouble for 14 months leading up to the incident and had been making progress and working as a labourer.

Imposing a sentence, judge Maurice Greene said: “Mr Smalley was no doubt extremely fearful for what was going to happen."