Grandad hero in kidnap drama

THREE men who stormed a country NSW home and kidnapped a family set the property alight with the grandfather tied down inside, police allege.

The drama began after a mother, 41, took her two teenage boys to be with their grandfather, 68, and grandmother, 71, at their rural property in Ootha, near Condobolin.

Police allege three armed assailants broke into the house on Tuesday morning, including the 44-year-old ex-partner of the mother, and repeatedly assaulted the grandfather before tying him down and dragging him into a room at the rear of the property.

It was then that the ex-partner allegedly forced the mother, the grandmother and the boys, aged 13 and 14, into a waiting car.

The two younger assailants, aged 23 and 29, allegedly poured 20 litres of petrol through the house before setting it alight and locking a gate with the grandfather left inside.

Drifting in and out of consciousness, the grandfather managed to free himself and crawl from the house before rushing to a neighbour more than one kilometre away and raising the alarm.

The ex-partner had allegedly left with the mother and two boys, and the two younger men had left in another car.

Police pursued the cars, and the grandmother and two boys managed to escape when the ex-partner stopped on Putty Rd in Windsor in Sydney’s northeast. Police tracked the two younger men, who allegedly tried to run over a police officer, prompting one to fire his gun. They were arrested in Sackville.

The ex-partner continued with the mother before being apprehended near Windsor.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith said police were shocked that the grandfather had managed to survive.

HE IS VERY LUCKY, AS THEY ALL ARE, THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER WITHOUT LOSS OF LIFE

STUART SMITH

“I think it is extraordinary considering his age,” Mr Smith said. “He had to break free from his bindings. He fell in and out of consciousness a number of times throughout the four-hour ordeal.

“He received head injuries throughout the assault.

“Hats off to his bravery in terms of what he did next, which was, he thought of the others and alerted neighbours.

“He is very lucky, as they all are, that we have been able to resolve this matter without loss of life.”

The three assailants faced a slew of serious charges in court yesterday.