Springfield: Christopher Jordan Bell, 31, becomes fourth man charged over Muswellbrook kidnapping

Detectives investigating an alleged pre-dawn assault and kidnapping on a Hunter highway have made their fourth arrest, with a 31-year-old man facing court on multiple charges.

Strike Force Sanderston released footage of a second incident in Muswellbrook as they investigatde the alleged kidnapping of one man and the threatening of a second in and near the Hunter town on March 21, 2025. Picture: NSW Police.

A fourth person charged over the alleged pre-dawn bashing and abduction of a man dragged from his car on a Hunter Valley highway has been remanded in custody.

Christopher Jordan Bell, 31, joined Luke William Charles Whalan, 38, as the latest men arrested by Strike Force Sanderston detectives this week as they continued to investigate several incidents in the early morning of March 21.

Police allege that a 25-year-old man was forced to stop his vehicle outside Muswellbrook and kidnapped before a second man was threatened in the town.

Detectives allege the kidnap victim was pulled from his car after being forced to stop on the New England Highway about 4am by a group of five men in a silver Subaru Impreza.

He was allegedly bashed and bundled into the Subaru before being driven to Tindale St in Muswellbrook, where police allege the Subaru remained before travelling to nearby Denman.

Police will allege a man was intimidated and his car nudged in Muswellbrook not long after another man was bashed and kidnapped outside of the town. Picture: NSW Police.

The alleged kidnapping victim was found at Muswellbrook railway station with facial injuries before he was treated by paramedics and taken to hospital.

He has since been released.

Luke William Charles Whalan, 38, faced Muswellbrook Local Court on Tuesday where he was not required to enter any pleas and was refused bail. Picture: Google Maps.

Police allege a second incident on Tindale St, where a man was stopped in his vehicle before it was rammed several times, was linked to the kidnapping.

Strike Force Sanderston detectives released images of the incidents on Tindale St on May 1.

Last week, they raided the properties in Scone and Muswellbrook and allegedly seized a replica firearm, electronics, illegal tobacco products, prohibited drugs, and other suspected stolen property during the raids.

Brett Leonard Robertson, 34, and Angus Wilfred Higgins, 21, were taken into custody and later charged.

Christopher Jordan Bell, 31, briefly faced Gosford Local Court on Friday, where he was not required to enter any pleas and did not apply for bail. (File picture: Peter Clark)

Robertson was charged with nine offences including taking a person in company with intent to commit serious indictable, supplying a prohibited drug (greater than indictable less than commercial quantity), goods in personal custody suspected being stolen (not motor vehicle), goods suspected stolen in/on premises (motor vehicle), contravening a prohibition/restriction in AVO (domestic), disposing of property in a serious indictable offence (greater than $5000), possessing a prohibited drug and two counts of predatory driving.

Higgins was charged with taking a person in company with intent to commit serious indictable, and using an offensive weapon with intent to commit indictable offence.

They both remain in custody on remand and have not been required to enter any pleas.

On Monday, detectives arrested Whalan at Muswellbrook and later charged him with taking a person in company with intent to commit a serious indictable offence, stalking/intimidating – intending fear physical etc harm (personal), and sexually touch another person without consent.

Whalan was not required to enter any pleas when he faced Muswellbrook Local Court on Tuesday, where magistrate Rob Maiden refused him bail.

Strike Force Sanderston detectives, with assistance from robbery and serious crime squad investigators and officers from Raptor Squad, arrested Bell at a Springfield house on Thursday.

Bell was taken to Gosford police station where he was charged with six offences including intimidation, taking and detaining a person in company with intent to commit serious indictable offence, taking and driving a conveyance without consent of owner, police pursuit (two counts) and predatory driving.

Bell faced Gosford Local Court on Friday where he was not required to enter any please and did not apply for bail.

He was formally remanded into custody and will reappear in court on June 16.