A man recruited his friends and staged his own violent kidnapping in a bid to get his own family to pay a £400 ransom.

Kyle Nunn made harrowing phone calls, sent Facebook messages and made video calls featuring two hammer-wielding men in a derelict building, Norwich Crown Court heard.

The 29-year-old told his family he had been hit with a hammer and knee-capped - and said if the £400 was not paid, the beatings would continue.

Joe Bird, prosecuting, told the court that the family could get £200 and Nunn later turned up at Norwich Railway Station where money was handed over.

Police had also been called and found Nunn, who was with two other men who had appeared in the bogus video.

Mr Bird said Nunn was found "uninjured" and it was at that stage it was found "the whole kidnap was a complete ruse to try and extort money".

Nunn, who initially gave police a false name, was arrested and interviewed and later charged with blackmail on September 13 and 14 last year.

Nunn, of Seaforth Drive, Hopton, appeared at the crown court for sentence on Tuesday (April 13) having previously admitted blackmail.

Sentencing Nunn to two years imprisonment Judge Anthony Bate said blackmail was a "serious and nasty offence" and insisted it was his "public duty to sentence you to immediate imprisonment".

Judge Bate said Nunn had set up a "bogus kidnap scenario in which you purported to be the victim" and had involved others to "give some credence" to what was happening.

David Stewart, mitigating for Nunn, who has 31 convictions for more than 70 previous offences, had a long history of debt due to his drug addiction.

He also said Nunn had and also had mental health issues.