A GANG bent on “revenge” after a gym was burnt down kidnapped a man and attacked him with a screwdriver, a court heard.

Six men appeared at Southampton Crown Court charged with kidnapping businessman Richard Baker from premises in Seddul Bahr Industrial Estate, in West End and subjecting him into “extreme” bouts of pain in a bid to find two people they believed set fire to Samson's Gym, in Derby Road, Eastleigh, in January.

Prosecutor Charles Gabb said gym owner Daniel Harkins, of Sherborne Road, Eastleigh; “his lieutenant” Jamie Kingston, of Paynes Road, Shirley; “the muscle” Leroy King, of Dutton Lane, Eastleigh; “the door guard” Rodney Traves, of Croydon Close, Southampton; Peter Chamberlain, of Christchurch; and Alan Boddy, of Braintree, were “men on a mission” as they attempted to track down Matthew Kille and a man only referred to as “G”.

The six were also charged with conspiracy to kidnap and assault.

Luke Yeates, of Woodlands Way, Bursledon faces charges of helping an organised crime group and perverting the court of justice.

Mr Gabb told the court yesterday that on January 19, the group planned to find the two men they believed were connected with the gym arson.

Harkins allegedly ordered his employees Yeates and Cameron Cooper to go out and buy a kettle, sugar, tennis balls, duct tape, hoodies, balaclavas and snoods on the afternoon before the kidnap.

It is also alleged that Kingston told Yeates to “buy a big knife”, something Yeates denies.

Mr Gabb said that boiling water mixed with sugar is a “fearsome weapon” as when thrown it sticks to the skin. He believed the tennis balls would have been used as gags.

The prosecution claims that the gang kidnapped Mr Baker because he was a known associate of both Mr Kille and G, who had sold Mr Baker cocaine.

The six men, referred to by Mr Gabb as “Harkins and his Merry Men” arrived at Mr Baker’s car workshop as he was locking up for the night.

Harkins and Kingston told Mr Baker they needed to speak to Mr Kille and G and when he said he did not know how to contact them, they knocked him to the floor.

Mr Gabb said: “Harkins picked up a screwdriver and forced it into Richard’s left nostril... a truly terrifying moment.”

After a series of threats, including sexually abusing his children and wife, Mr Baker said he knew someone called Martyn who might be able to find the Mr Kille and G.

The group then drove Mr Baker to to Radstock Road, Woolston. Mr Baker did not have Martyn’s exact address and he was sent to search the flats for him.

Mr Baker did not find Martyn but as he scanned his recent call log on his phone he came across G’s number.

Harkins, his accomplices and Mr Baker, who were in three cars, then returned to the workshop.

Mr Gabb added: “It seems the final alarm went off for Mr Baker when Harkins said ‘go and put the kettle on’.”

Mr Baker then made a run for it and hid underneath a nearby caravan.

Mr Gabb said he called his wife to say: “Get out, get out, get the kids out of there [the house] now.”

He then called the police. By the time they arrived the kidnappers had disappeared, the court heard.

Mr Gabb added that later that night an “anxious” Harkins told Yeates to come to his property to dispose of an iPod, Blackberry mobile and knuckleduster.

All seven defendants plead not-guilty.

The trial continues.