Two attackers who targeted a man and took him for a terror car ride were jailed today.

Atif Iqbal was threatened with violence and an attempt was made to stab him before he was hit with the car after he managed to get out of the vehicle.

Adam Ahmed, 32, was sentenced to five years and four months imprisonment for his role in the attack on Mr Iqbal and his co-accused John Whyte, 33, was jailed for four years.

A judge at the High Court in Edinburgh rejected a plea to spare Whyte a prison sentence and deal with him by imposing a community-based punishment.

Lady Hood told the pair that given the nature and seriousness of the crime they admitted only custodial sentences were appropriate.

Ahmed, of Hillside Road, Glasgow, earlier admitted assaulting Mr Iqbal to his severe injury and the danger of his life on April 13, 2021 at Morely Street and Pollokshaws Road on April 13, 2021.

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Whyte, formerly of Dougray Place, Barrhead, admitted assaulting him to his injury.

During the incident, Ahmed drove a car at the victim and struck him with the vehicle. Whyte attempted to strike him with a knife.

Prosecutor Caroline MacBride earlier told the court: "The motivation for the criminal conduct of both appears to be the recovery of a debt owed by the cousin of Atif Iqbal to Ahmed.

"Both engaged jointly to elicit information from Mr Iqbal about the whereabouts of his relative. When that failed they also attempted to recover the debt owed directly from Mr Iqbal."

When they turned up at an address in the Battlefield area of Glasgow Mr Iqbal disputed that money was owed. Whyte demanded that he take them to his relative and grabbed him and threatened to stab him.

The victim was punched and told to get in the car. Mr Iqbal went into the vehicle with Ahmed driving.

"Whyte said the debt had increased from pounds 800 to pounds 2000 due to all the hassle," said the prosecutor.

Whyte tried to strike the victim with a knife in the car but Mr Iqbal managed to open a rear door and was hanging out the vehicle trying to escape as Ahmed continued to drive.

The victim managed to flee from the car on Pollokshaws Road but Ahmed mounted the pavement in the car and hit him on the leg with the vehicle. Mr Iqbal sustained a fracture to his left elbow.

The incident was captured on CCTV and mobile phone footage and the pair of attackers were later traced.

Defence counsel Allan Macleod, for Ahmed, said: "He is a man who is genuinely remorseful. He appears to have turned a corner since this offence."

He said Ahmed was assessed as a low risk of reoffending and was focussed on his family.

Solicitor advocate Darren Fleming, for Whyte, said: "He got himself involved in something he should never have been involved in."

He said there was an alternative to custody available for Whyte which would allow him to return to employment and to continue to support his young family.