A builder and his son are facing substantial prison sentences after pleading guilty to conspiring together to kidnap a mother and daughter from their home.

Anthony Scaife, 53, and Matthew Scaife, 26, admitted the abduction plot as they were due to stand trial at Bradford Crown Court.

Prosecutor Timothy Capstick told the court late yesterday afternoon that father and son now accepted the Crown’s case against them.

They admitted they were the two kidnappers who went into the North Yorkshire house in the early hours of May 21 and took a mother and her child.

Anthony Scaife, of Main Street, Long Preston, near Skipton, and Matthew Scaife, of Thornton Road, Bradford, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap between November 1, 2007 and May 25 this year.

In the dock with them were Anthony Scaife’s wife, Deborah, 49, and his daughter, Victoria, 27, of Pinhaw Road, Skipton.

Mr Capstick told Judge Alistair McCallum that the conspiracy to kidnap charge would not be pursued against the women. Not guilty verdicts would be entered on December 8 when father and son were sentenced.

Bryan Cox QC, Anthony Scaife’s barrister, said he knew he faced a prison sentence but he believed the judge would be assisted by a probation service report.

Anthony Scaife had been in custody pending the trial date. He was locked up again until the sentencing hearing.

Matthew Scaife’s barrister, Tahir Khan, said he understood there would be “a substantial prison sentence”.

He asked for a probation report and said notes would be sought from his client’s doctor about his emotional state at the time of the offence.

Mr Khan said Matthew Scaife was of good character and asked for his bail to continue.

He had been living with his sister at an address in Cheshire.

Mr Khan said: “The matters that he has admitted are very serious indeed.”

But he urged the judge to extend bail with the condition that he does not enter North Yorkshire.

There were emotional scenes in the dock throughout the hearing, with brother and sister holding hands and they and Deborah Scaife fighting back tears.

Anthony Scaife hugged his wife before being returned to the cells.