Former wife and girlfriend 'kidnapped and assaulted ex-lover and left him naked in the woods'

Two women are accused of being involved in the kidnapping and assault of their ex-lover, leaving him bound and naked in the woods, a German court has heard.

Former wife Yvonne S. and ex-girlfriend Birgit K. are charged with deprivation of liberty and grievous bodily harm of Thomas L. who was assaulted in Brandenburg state, west Germany.

On the first day of the trial yesterday (24 October) Yvonne S., 39, told a Frankfurt court that she was sitting in her car in a supermarket car park in March 2015 crying about the break-up of her ten-year marriage to Thomas L.

During that period she claimed she had endured his alcohol abuse and violence, and following the end of the marriage, Thomas L., 44, still called to harass her and had hacked her email account, according to The Local.

She was then approached by a stranger in the car park and after she told him her plight he promised "to settle" the matter, reported Bild.

Yvonne S agreed to meet the man three days later with Birgit K., 37, in the same place. She said they hoped to get Thomas L. to listen to reason.

But at the meeting the women discovered the stranger had three other men with him, and events were "no longer in our hands". Yvonne S said she and Birgit K. sat in the passenger's seat while the four men picked up the victim.

Prosecutors say Thomas L. was thrust into a refrigerated truck where he was punched and kicked. His hands were tied with cables and his eyes and mouth were covered.

The attack left the victim with brain trauma, bruising, as well as lasting psychological issues over anxiety.

Thomas L. was left in the woods and told to count slowly to 100 before freeing himself. His phone, wallet and clothes had been taken, so he had to make his way out of the woods by himself in temperatures as low as -2C.

The victim could only find a bin bag to cover himself, and he was able to flag down help from a driver on a nearby country road. The four alleged attackers have never been found.

Judge Ulrich Karmann said he did not believe the story told by Yvonne S. and a frank confession about what happened that night and who was involved may lead to the women avoiding serving time in jail.

Thomas L. and his former girlfriend Birgit K. are still due to give evidence. The trial is expected to last until November.