Grinning inanely as he poses with an AK47 assault rifle this picture forms part of a chilling photo album showing a Salford hoodlum living the life of a gangster.
Chris Edwards, 34, took the underworld selfie of himself and kept it on his mobile phone to menace those who dared to cross him.
Other photos he posted on Facebook showed him lounging around in a leopard print ‘pimp suit’ posing with a bull terrier dog and larking around with a hooded friend in front of police during the 2011 riots.
But police arrested Edwards after he and a fellow gangster held a man captive and threatened him with a machete.
During his three-hour ordeal, the victim was shown the picture of Edwards holding the rifle in a bid to make him hand over drugs money – the unnamed victim was later freed unharmed.
Edwards was jailed for ten years yesterday after he was found guilty of false imprisonment and possession of drugs with intent to supply.
Jacob Minister, 25, also of Salford was jailed for 15 years after he was found guilty following a trial of false imprisonment, possession with intent to supply and using an imitation firearm with the intention of causing harm or distress.
The incident occurred in September a month after the victim, 31, had gone to police in fear of his life after being threatened at gunpoint by Minister.
JAILED: Edwards (left) and Minister
He said he had been storing cocaine for Minister and had decided to stop but after he was allowed home, the man was summoned to a meeting by Edwards and Minister.
Moments later a black Corsa pulled up with both men inside, the victim got in and was told he wasn’t going anywhere until he had ‘paid the money he owed’.
Minister took the victim’s phone and accused him of being bugged and said if he tried to escape he would be stabbed.
They then went to Edwards’ house where the victim was terrorised before being driven home. He managed to contact his partner to say he was being held against his will and Edwards and Minister were arrested in a police swoop.
Detective Constable Sean Fitzgerald said after the case: “These two men preyed on a vulnerable man, they provided him with drugs on tick and when he could not pay they started to use him to store their supply.
“The threats escalated and when they found out he told the police he was storing drugs on their behalf, he was kidnapped and held at knife point.
“If he had not been able to contact his partner who knows what these men could have been capable of.”
Chief Superintendent Mary Doyle, divisional commander for Salford, said: “Over the past few years we have had some tremendous successes in Salford in tackling organised criminal gangs.
“We have seized millions of pounds-worth of drugs, firearms and cash and, as residents will have already seen, we have secured some lengthy convictions for some of these organised crime group members.
“By taking so many of these gang members off the streets and seizing huge quantities of drugs and other items associated with criminality, we have made massive inroads into disrupting these criminal networks and as a result Salford is a safer place to live and work.”
