A Polish man has been found guilty by an Italian court of kidnapping 20-year-old British model Chloe Ayling.
Lucasz Herba, 30, was sentenced to 16 years and nine months in prison after luring Ayling to a fake photographic studio in Milan with the prospect of modelling work.
She was drugged with ketamine and put into a canvas bag before being taken to a farmhouse in the neighbouring Piedmont region for six days.
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The court heard how Ayling was handcuffed to the furniture for at least the first night and then eventually released to the British consulate back in Milan.
The prosecutor argued that Ayling could have died during the kidnapping, which lasted from 11 to 17 July last year.
In an initial police statement, Herba said he had let Ayling go because she was a mother.
He later claimed he was in love with the model and that they had come up with the abduction plot together as part of a publicity stunt to boost her career.
“I never hurt the girl. I was not violent with her,” he said. “If she felt forced verbally in any way, I am very sorry. But it certainly was not as Chloe has described.
“I was in love and I was hoping that once her fame took off that she would repay me with feelings and we would share the money.”
The model told police that she had not tried to escape and had even accompanied Herba to a store to buy shoes because she was terrified.
Herba told her that she would be auctioned online unless she could come up with £265,000, she said.
Another man, alleged to have been involved in the plot, is facing extradition from the UK. He denies any involvement.
