No Bail for Reading Man Charged with Kidnapping

Reading, MA - A Reading man accused of holding a woman against her will and physically assaulting her was held without bail at his arraignment today pending a dangerousness hearing next Monday.

Brian English, 30, of Reading was arraigned today in Woburn District Court on charges of kidnapping, three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery, intimidation of a witness, larceny and threatening to commit a crime in connection with an attack that allegedly took place on Sunday.

English was also arraigned today in Woburn District Court on charges of operating under the influence of drugs, operating to endanger, failure to stop for a police vehicle, speeding, a marked lanes violation and a stop sign violation connected to his apprehension and arrest on Sunday, March 27.

Judge Stacey Fortes ordered the defendant held without bail pending a 58A dangerousness hearing scheduled for Monda,y April 4.

“The defendant allegedly held the victim in this case against her will and physically assaulted her resulting in multiple injuries,” said Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan. “Following the attack, in an attempt to evade police, the defendant allegedly continued to demonstrate dangerous behavior during the operation of his motor vehicle before he was successfully apprehended.”

“The apprehension of the defendant in this case is a result of the partnership and collaboration of the Reading Police Department, our partners in law enforcement and the residents of Reading and the surrounding communities and,” said Reading Police Chief Mark Segalla. “I would also like to thank the members of community for their vigilance as we worked to locate Mr. English.”

The defendant in this case allegedly held the victim, who was known to him, for a period of approximately two hours. During that time, the defendant allegedly beat the victim, threatened her with a knife and cut her hair. During the attack the defendant refused to let the victim leave the home despite attempts by the victim to get away and to request help from another occupant in the home, the defendant’s mother. Eventually, the victim was able to escape the home through a window and was treated at an area hospital, according to prosecutors.

Reading Police were unable to immediately locate the defendant and subsequently requested the public’s help in locating him. On March 27 at approximately 11:23 p.m. Reading Police located the defendant in the town of Reading and arrested him. During that process the defendant allegedly attempted to flee from police before crashing his vehicle into a telephone pole. English was treated for injuries sustained in the crash at an area hospital before being released.

Officers from North Reading, Woburn, Wakefield and Stoneham assisted the Reading Police Department in this investigation. The Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council also provided assistance to Reading Police in apprehending the defendant in response to alleged violent threats made by the defendant prior to his apprehension.