Trio facing jail term after abducting and robbing two men

Alessandro Russo, Maomar Franco and Alberto Castillo bound their victims with cable ties before threatening to murder them during the attack at an Edinburgh flat in October 2021.

The trio, who are all Spanish nationals, were armed with large knives and made one victim transfer cash from his bank account and also stole £1,700 in cash from him.

Alessandro Russo

They fled the scene after barricading the men in a bedroom but Russo, 32, and Castillo, 36, were soon arrested after the victims reported the terrifying attack.

Franco, 36, was later traced after one of the victims spotted him DJing in a city centre Latin-themed nightclub about two weeks later and called in the police.

The three men pleaded guilty to a charge of abducting, assaulting and robbing victims Jacob Salaet and Daniel Ceballos in their home when they appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month.

They returned to the dock for sentencing on Tuesday, where Sheriff Kenneth Campbell KC was told that a Spanish interpreter had not turned up to court, meaning the three accused could not be sentenced.

Russo, of Ravensheugh Crescent, Musselburgh; Franco, of Loaning Road; and Castillo, of Mayfield Road, both Edinburgh, all had their sentence deferred again to later this month.

Alberto Castillo

Previously, prosecutor Ross Price told the court that the two victims had been at home in a basement flat in the city’s New Town at about midnight on October 27, 2021.

Mr Price said the Mr Salaet answered a knock at the door and was confronted by the three gang members, who were carrying blades and making “jabbing motions” at the man’s stomach.

Mr Salaet had his hands and feet bound with cable ties while second victim Mr Ceballos was “woken by three men by the side of his bed” and had a 15cm blade pointed at his stomach and neck.

The gang looted the flat and forced Mr Ceballos to transfer £1,391 to a bank account before getting him to hand over £1,715 in cash he had concealed in his bedroom.

Russo warned the pair not to contact police “or they would return and kill them” before barricading the men in a room and fleeing the Capital flat at about 4am.

The gang also made off with items from the property including a Nintendo Switch, a mobile phone, a mountain bike and a laptop.

The court was told that Russo and Castillo were arrested the following day and Franco had been caught after Mr Salaet later attended at the El Barrio club and recognised the DJ as his attacker.

Maomar Franco

The sheriff had previously ordered all three accused to surrender their passports and ID cards as part of their bail conditions.

Russo, Franco and Castillo admitted abducting the two men and tying their hands and feet, detaining them against their will, assaulting them, pointing a knife at them and repeatedly threatening them with violence, and robbing them of cash and items on October 27 and 28, 2021.