FOUR lap dancers have been accused of kidnapping a man who allegedly failed to pay them £42,000 for their services at a Cheltenham club during Gold Cup week.
They faced charges at Gloucester Crown Court on Friday along with two men accused of acting as "heavies" for them in the kidnapping.
The prosecution claimed the four women were recruited to dance at the Embassy Club in Cheltenham during the four-day National Hunt Festival in March last year.
During the festival the police raided the premises and closed down the lap-dancing operation on suspicion of prostitution taking place there.
On the same day the women made a complaint to police that they had not been paid the £42,000 they claimed customer Curtis Woodman owed them.
It is alleged the women then decided to get the money from Mr Woodman by recruiting two brothers, Robert Morris, 26, of Thornberry Avenue, Southampton, and Alexander Morris, 22, of Itchen View, Southampton, to help them.
The brothers and the four women – Charlotte Devaney, 34, of Eardley Road, London; Rachel Goodchild, 24, of May Road, Southampton; Mandy-Laura Cool, 29, of Warren close, Southampton; and Stephanie Pye, 30, of Penns Lane, Sutton Coldfield – are all accused of kidnapping Mr Woodman on September 3 last year.
Prosecutor Martin Steen told the court: "Some of the defendants were owed money by the victim.
"We say he was kidnapped and subjected to various forms of violence and threats. Items were taken from him in a robbery."
All but Pye pleaded not guilty to kidnap. She intends to mount a legal argument asking for the charge to be dropped.
The Morris brothers also denied robbing Mr Woodman of a £4,650 Breitling watch and £60 in cash on September 3.
Alexander Morris further denied having a bladed article, a Stanley knife, in a public place – the Northway Trading Estate in Tewkesbury where Mr Woodman works.
The court heard the women are taking civil court action against Mr Woodman for recovery of the money they claim he still owes.
Judge William Hart transferred the case to Bristol Crown Court, with a date to be fixed.
They were all given bail until the hearing.
