Vigilante mum kidnapped suspected drug dealer and duct taped him to chair
A vigilante mum kidnapped a suspected drug dealer off the street and tied him to a chair.
Linda Gowers bundled Michael Graham into a van and took him to her home over fears he was involved in county lines drug operations targeting children in Angus, Scotland.
During a 999 call, Gowers, 40, from Kirriemuir, told police she had planned to slit Graham's throat before setting him on fire.
A man could be heard shouting for help in the background.
Gowers described what she'd done as a "citizen's arrest" and told officers on arrival it was "lucky" they got there in time or "he'd be dead".
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Dundee Sheriff Court was told there was clear evidence Graham had been dealing drugs but he had escaped prosecution because of delays in his case.
Graham was said to have downed a bottle of wine and was seen sitting at a bus stop with other males at 7.31pm on July 27 2020.
Dundee Sheriff Court was told there was clear evidence Graham had been dealing drugs (PA)Police who drove past noticed him because of his distinctive blue hair. The court heard that a van pulled up 45 minutes later and Gowers and an unknown man got out, reports the Daily Record.
"She demanded he get in the van. The accused and the male grabbed him by the arms and dragged him into the van," the prosecutor told the court.
"He was thrown into the van via a side door and the accused got into the front. He was taken to her address in Westfield, Kirriemuir.
"He was forced from the van and told to get in the house and sit down on a black leather dining chair. He observed a roll of duct tape on the table.
"She then began to bind him using the duct tape, to cover his head, face and arms. She accused him of selling drugs to a child which he denied."
A few minutes later Gowers called police and told officers: "Can you get to my address please, quickly before I kill him? I'm going to kill him."
She gave police her name and address and, when asked who she was holding hostage, she said she knew his name was Michael and he was a drug dealer.
"I know his name is Michael and he's up here from Newcastle and selling f****** LSD and drugs to kids, little bairns," she told police.
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The fiscal depute said: "During this call a male could be heard shouting for help in the background and he was in obvious distress. The line was dropped."
When police turned up, Gowers was in her garden to meet them and they went inside to find Graham still bound and gagged and taped to a chair.
"He had black duct tape around his upper body, shoulders, mouth and head, including over his eyes. He was completely immobilised and unable to speak."
Officers cut Graham free and he immediately became angry and said he would "get" Gowers, before he tried to escape from the property.
Gowers told police: "If youse had been doing your jobs I wouldn't have had to do this. You're lucky you got here when you did or he'd be dead.
"I was going to slit his throat. I was going to set him on fire. It should have been youse picking him up off the street - not left to me to go and get him.
"I was doing your job for you. I was cleaning the streets up. This p**** sold acid to a child then came back up from England to sell more drugs to children.
"It wasn't abduction, it was a citizen's arrest," she said, although she later admitted abducting Graham in Kirriemuir.
Solicitor Brian Bell, defending, told the court: "I understand a police report was submitted regarding the complainer, but it was time-barred.
"Effectively, the complainer in this case - despite there being clear evidence of him being involved in the distribution of drugs - for whatever reason, he walks free."
Sentence on Gowers was deferred for the preparation of background reports and bail was continued.
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