A talented footballer who helped an estate agent kidnap and torture her former boss after being sacked has been sent to a young offenders' institution for eight-and-a-half years.

Shakib Chowdhury, 20 of Surbiton, was one of three men who put businessman Waqas Malik through the seven-hour ordeal after Ambreen Gul, 23, of Hackney, had lured him to her flat in June last year, where he was repeatedly beaten.

Southwark Crown Court heard how the former Arsenal and West Ham under 17 footballer, along with Gul, Quasim Ahmed, 21 of Barking and Mukshud Ali, 18 of Barking, tried to extort £200,000 from the 48-year-old, who runs Skylord Properties in Ilford.

Mr Malik was told that if he did not produce the money he and his 13-year-old son would be killed.

The court also heard how he was punched, kicked and pistol whipped while being bound and blindfolded.

But Gul panicked when Mr Malik, who has a heart condition, fell ill after being given a powerful sedative.

She drove the "almost unconscious" victim home and told his wife he was drunk and had sexually assaulted her.

But once in hospital doctors found his face and head covered in bruises and cuts, and "ligature marks" on his wrists from the tape bindings.

All four were all convicted of false imprisonment. They were also variously convicted of or admitted wounding with intent, blackmail, having an imitation firearm with intent, theft and administering a "poison or noxious substance" with intent.

Sentencing them yesterday, Judge Deborah Taylor said: "You were involved in this wicked, premeditated and brutal plan."

Mr Malik's seven hours of suffering caused him "pain, fear and distress"... and he believed he was going to be shot, she said.

"These are serious and ugly crimes and it is chilling to find those as young as you involved in them," she added.

Chowdhury was sent to a young offenders' institution for eight-and-a-half years, Ahmed was jailed for eight years and Ali, who was sacked from the same firm as Gul, was detained in a young offenders' institution for seven years, nine months.

Gul was jailed for ten years.