Briton accused over ‘fake’ kidnap in Italy

A British student was “part of a plot” to extort money from his rich parents by staging a fake kidnapping in Italy, a court has heard.

A group of four Italians accused of kidnapping and holding for ransom the Briton – named as Sam Kourosh Patrick Demilecamps – were placed under house arrest yesterday.

Mr Demilecamps, 24, was allegedly held against his will for eight days in the town of Monte San Giusto as the gang demanded his family pay them €7,000.

However, Rubens Beliga Gnaga, 18, told the court: “We had lent him [Demilecamps ] €7,000. The kidnapping was staged to convince his family to send us the money.”