Gang jailed for kidnap and murder following international partnership work

A gang has been sentenced today for their part in the kidnap and killing of a man taken from his own home in Birmingham.

Neil Jones, 48, a UK national of no fixed address, and Tobiasz Kozlowski, 38, a Polish national of Kirkby, Merseyside, were among the main organisers behind the abduction and death of 45-year-old Tomasz Samel.

Today (9 October 2026) at Birmingham Crown Court, Jones was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 34 years and Kozlowski was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 33 years after prosecutors pieced together their roles following the swift exchange of information and evidence with international partners.

Both men were convicted of Mr Samel’s murder following a trial at the same court in August 2026.  They had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to falsely imprison. Neil Jones had, in addition, pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Kozlowski and Jones were also convicted after trial of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm.

Kate Seal, Specialist Prosecutor from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "This was a sustained and merciless attack on a man taken from the safety of his own home.

"Bringing all those responsible to justice required years of painstaking work, including close cooperation with West Midlands Police and international partners across three countries, to gather the forensic, digital and witness evidence needed to secure these convictions.

"Mr Samel's family have shown extraordinary strength throughout this ordeal. Our thoughts remain with them, and I hope these sentences reflect the severity of what was inflicted on Mr Samel and provide the family with a sense of justice being achieved, though nothing can undo their loss."

In March 2019, Kozlowski and Jones enlisted others to abduct Mr Samel, believing he was responsible for the loss of a multi-million-pound illegal cigarette shipment belonging to an organised crime group. 

Posing as Interpol officers acting on a European Arrest Warrant, Wooden, Arthur and a third man seized Mr Samel from his home in Handsworth and took him to Merseyside. 

There, he was subjected to a sustained and violent assault before being abandoned.

He managed to reach a nearby property for help and received medical treatment, but died from his injuries two months later.

After the offence, Jones fled the UK and was later located in prison in Greece, where he was serving a sentence for drugs importation. UK and Greek authorities worked closely together to arrange an interview with Jones and his temporary transfer back to the UK to stand trial.

Kevin Wooden, 46, of Banbury, Oxfordshire, and Kye Arthur, 35, of Bristol, both UK nationals, were directly involved in carrying out the kidnap and had previously admitted conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to falsely imprison. Both were found guilty of manslaughter following trial. Today at the same court, Wooden was sentenced to 23 years and Arthur was sentenced to 22 years.

Wooden fled the UK shortly after the attack and was later arrested in the Dominican Republic under a false name. The Crown Prosecution Service worked closely with prosecutors from the Dominican Republic and the NCA to secure his extradition ahead of the trial.

Sandra Kozlowska, 38, of Kirkby, wife of Kozlowski, was convicted of assisting an offender, having helped her husband evade capture by moving money through bank accounts on his behalf, attempting to hide evidence and giving false information to police. She was sentenced to three years suspended for three years.

The attack was linked to an organised crime network involved in the illegal importation of cigarettes. It was carried out in retaliation after HMRC seized a substantial consignment, which the victim had been responsible for.

The CPS built a compelling case using a combination of CCTV, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), telecommunications data and other forensic evidence.

This complex homicide investigation required close international cooperation to tackle serious, organised crime that crosses national borders. 

The CPS, West Midlands Police, Polish prosecutors and investigators worked as a joint investigation team, established with the support of Eurojust, to enable the swift exchange of information and evidence between the UK and Poland. 

Investigators and prosecutors from both countries met to coordinate strategy, overcome jurisdictional challenges, and ensure that critical evidence could be secured and presented before the court.

Hannah Sidaway, Roving Liaison Prosecutor, said: "This case shows what can be achieved when prosecutors and law enforcement work together across borders. Support from our partners in Poland, Greece and the Dominican Republic, together with Eurojust, was instrumental in securing evidence, progressing enquiries across jurisdictions, and ensuring those responsible faced justice in the UK.

“The CPS is grateful to all our partners, and our thoughts remain with Mr Samel's family."