Two men who shot at police after kidnapping a man have been jailed for more than 16 years.

Clayton McKenzie, 36, from High Street, Harlesden, and David Rhoden, 28 from Flowers Close in Neasden, were driving a Peugeot 306 when they pulled over in Hatfield Road, St Albans, last November.

They hit a 30-year-old man on the back of the head and dragged him unconscious into the car.

Later that day two Hertfordshire police officers followed the Peugeot on the M1 southbound after their automatic number plate recognition system showed that its MOT had expired in September 2013.

Officers attempted to stop it but the drivers sped off, reaching more than 100mph while weaving between lanes and narrowly avoiding collisions.

The car pulled off at Junction Four and came to a stop in Broadhurst Avenue, Edgware. The offenders got out and attempted to run away as the two officers gave chase.

As they ran, one of the offenders fired backwards with a revolver and a handgun towards one of the officers.

Luckily, no one was injured, although the victim was found tied up in the back of the car and was taken to hospital for treatment.

McKenzie was subsequently arrested the following day in London, and Rhoden was arrested on November 29 following a firearms warrant at an address in Neasden.

McKenzie and Rhoden have been found guilty of kidnap, carrying a firearm with criminal intent, possession of a Class A drug with intent to supply, possessing a firearm at the time of committing an offence and actual bodily harm.

Rhoden was also found guilty of making use of a firearm with intent to resist arrest and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Detective Chief Inspector Jason Gordon, who led the investigation, said: “What the officers believed would be a routine stop turned into an extremely dangerous situation and despite being fired at, they continued in the course of their duty to pursue the offenders."

Adrian Foster, chief crown prosecutor for Thames and Chiltern Crown Prosecution Service, said: “McKenzie tried to claim to police that his car had been stolen and that he had in fact been kidnapped and dumped in a country lane, and denied any involvement in the offences despite being identified from CCTV stills by another police officer. 

“Rhoden failed to answer police questions, but during the trial also denied the offences.  The jury saw through their lies and found them guilty despite their denials.” 

McKenzie was jailed for six years and 191 days, and Rhoden was jailed for ten years and 190 days at St Albans Crown Court today.