Carlton Williams, 47, Lee Stagg, 43, and Michael Riddle, 30, aggressively enforced “eye-watering” clamping fees – charging drivers up to £600 to free their cars.
They lurked in the shadows and pounced on unsuspecting motorists – often vulnerable women with children – who had parked on private land they managed.
The trio would intimidate them into handing over larger cash sums, while in other cases some cars were lifted onto a tow truck with the horrified motorists still inside.
Williams was given five-and-a-half years, Stagg three years and Riddle 18 months in prison after admitting blackmail charges totalling £3,775. But police estimated the clampers could have netted up to £350,000 from their illicit activity.
Two of the gang, Williams and Stagg, were also found to be taking £54,000 from the state in council tax, housing benefit and income support.
His Honour Judge Graham Hume Jones, sitting at Taunton Crown Court, told the trio: “It is clear that in the course of this business you extorted considerable sums of money from members of the public by arrogant, bullying and aggressive behaviour.
"You were licensed to clamp cars and I am told you had a form of uniform and badges to show your authenticity.
“In my judgement this aggravates the position because it gave the impression the sums you were demanding and the behaviour you were exhibiting was authentic.”
The court heard that the trio demanded large cash sums from motorists while operating A1 Clamping Services between 2005 and 2008.
Williams – considered to be the ringleader – operated the firm with Stagg and employed Riddle as a clamper.
The court was told that a ‘spotter’ car would lurk, waiting for motorists to park on private land they managed on behalf of shops and businesses. A tow truck would then be sent within minutes to haul clamped cars away.
The gang, who were fully licensed to clamp cars, would then aggressively confront the motorists, often giving them little chance to pay the minimum release fee.
The company had stated on its notices that the price of releasing a clamp was £100, but if the vehicle was towed away this would increase to £350 and rising to £500 if ‘storage fees’ were applied.
Police eventually became inundated with complaints that they were demanding as much as £600 to return cars.
One female victim, in Bridgwater, was inside her car when A1 Clamping Services lifted it up to tow it away.
Another woman was forced to sit on the roof of her vehicle, in a pub car park in Bridgwater to stop the gang from taking it. A third motorist, Chloe Brant, successfully got the clamping gang to release her car after calling the police.
The court heard when forced to unchain her vehicle, one of the clampers sneered: “I will get you next time.”
As the trio expanded their business, complaints reached officers from Wells, Torbay and Torquay and even as far as Staffordshire.
The court also heard that the gang targeted popular Bridgwater Carnival in 2006 – towing away numerous vehicles in the town.
All three were arrested in September 2007, but not charged until March 2010.
During that time the court heard Williams kept clamping, this time in Bristol.
Williams, from Bridgwater, eventually pleaded guilty to blackmail of £3,775 and making unwarranted demands for money with menaces between January 1, 2005 and January 1, 2008.
He also admitted benefit fraud totalling £42,518 and engaging in an aggressive commercial practice between July 18, 2009 and April 4, 2010, in Bristol, pocketing £675.
Stagg, also from Bridgwater, admitted blackmail for the same amount, making unwarranted demands with menaces and benefit fraud totalling £12,000.
Riddle, from Weston-super-Mare, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to blackmail and making unwarranted demands.
Defence barristers for all three had pleaded for lenient sentences, claiming their clients had spared victims the ordeal of giving evidence in court.
The court was told there was no chance of costs being recovered from the defendants.
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