Chef Who Wanted Day Off Work Faked His Own Kidnapping

A CHEF faked his own kidnapping, sparking a major police operation, because he wanted a day off work.

Thirty-six-year-old Mariusz Kaminski sent a string of text messages to a female friend and his manager claiming he had been forced into a white BMW by three men.

Kaminski said he owed someone £1,500 (€1,746) and had been taken towards a cash point. He then said he had managed to escape his captors and had walked to a hospital after hiding in a hedge for half an hour.

His friend, who he had told to not call the police, gave him more than £1,600 (€1,864) after taking out a loan when he heard his family could be at risk from the ‘kidnappers.’ The dad of one had actually been texting from his house in Wiltshire, Trowbridge, the whole time.

A police investigation that involved 22 officers was launched and two men were questioned before Kamanski, from Poland, came clean.

Salisbury Crown Court heard Kaminski was forced to declare bankruptcy after his relationship broke down.

Kaminski failed to turn up to his job in a pub after becoming distraught by the news of a close friend in Poland committing suicide in October 2017.

On October 27 Kaminski told his boss he had debts of several thousand pounds from a previous business. The following day he made up the kidnapping story.

Kaminski was sentenced to 16 months in prison after being convicted of perverting the course of justice and fraud by false representation.

He was ordered to pay £1,750 (€2,038) in compensation to his friend in what Recorder Roger Harris said was an “unusual, bizarre and ultimately rather sad case,” but that people who make “bogus allegations” must expect jail.

Thank you for taking the time to read this news article “Chef Who Wanted Day Off Work Faked His Own Kidnapping.” For more UK daily news, Spanish daily news and Global news stories, visit the Euro Weekly News home page.