A builder and his son were today set to be jailed for abducting a mother and toddler at gunpoint after an 11th hour bid to adjourn the case failed.

Anthony Scaife, 53, and Matthew Scaife, 26, face long prison sentences after pleading guilty to conspiracy to kidnap at Bradford Crown Court last month.

Yesterday, Matthew Scaife’s barrister Tahir Khan said his client’s probation officer was concerned about his mental health.

She said he had a history of depression and attempted suicide and believed a psychiatric report would assist both herself and Judge Alistair McCallum. Mr Khan said such a report could not be prepared until January 15.

Neither defendant was in court yesterday when the case was listed to decide whether to ‘vacate’ today’s sentencing hearing.

Judge McCallum said he could understand that Matthew Scaife was going to be anxious because he was going to prison for a long time.

The judge said there had been no suggestion that he was unfit to plead.

He had been well enough to dress in a balaclava mask and carry weapons for the kidnap. Anthony Scaife’s barrister, Richard Wright, said his case was ready to proceed.

Prosecutor Tim Capstick opposed taking the case out of the list, saying: “This is something that has arisen at the 11th hour, at the 59th minute.”

He said any psychiatric report could only be relevant to length of sentence. Judge McCallum said if he believed a psychiatric report was needed he would adjourn Matthew Scaife’s sentence after hearing mitigation for both men.

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.

They took the mother and child from their North Yorkshire home in the early hours of May 21 this year and held them hostage for 24 hours.

Anthony Scaife is in custody. His son is on bail, living in Merseyside.