The 20-year-old is said to have been snatched by a group calling itself Black Death after being lured to a fake modelling shoot in Milan in July

One of the alleged kidnappers of British model Chloe Ayling is fighting extradition to Italy as his lawyer claims the entire case could be a 'sham' invented as a 'publicity stunt'.

The 20-year-old is said to have been snatched by a group calling itself Black Death after being lured to a fake modelling shoot in Milan in July.

Lukasz Herba, 30, is in custody in Italy, having been arrested after delivering Ms Ayling to the British Embassy on July 17 - six days after she was allegedly kidnapped. He has said he did not knowingly take part in any crime.

His 36-year-old brother, Michal Herba, was arrested by the National Crime Agency (NCA) on a European Arrest Warrant issued by the Italian authorities last month.

He appeared in custody at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court today to fight extradition, having been in custody since he was apprehended in the Tividale area of Sandwell in the West Midlands.

In court today, his lawyer made the claim that the case could be a 'sham' and 'publicity stunt'.

But Ms Ayling’s former manager Phil Green told MailOnline: ‘Of course it wasn’t a sham!

'I said six weeks ago that Chloe was genuinely kidnapped and I still stand by that.

'Herba's lawyer is in cloud cuckcoo land if he thinks he is going to successfully defend his client by suggesting it was staged.’

Prosecutor Florence Iveson said Herba has been requested by the court of Milan in relation to a single offence of kidnapping arising from events between July 11 and 17.

'The allegation is that Mr Herba acted in complicity with his brother, Lukasz Herba, and other unidentified persons to kidnap the victim in Milan,' she said.

'It is said she was drugged and kidnapped and a 300,000 euro ransom was demanded. The allegation is one of kidnap with drugs. Particularity is not required as it is on an indictment.'

But Herba's lawyer, George Hepburne Scott, raised questions over the account given by Ms Ayling, of Coulsdon, south London, who claims she was drugged and bundled into the boot of a car after being tricked into attending the bogus photoshoot in Milan on July 11.

'There is a real risk that the entire case is a sham,' he said.

Referring to 'open source material', Mr Scott said: 'The same complainant, it seems, generated publicity from the fact she was nearby the scene of a terrorist attack at the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

Michal Herba (left, with with brother Lukasz in Milan in July) was arrested by the National Crime Agency (NCA) on a European Arrest Warrant issued by the Italian authorities last month

Kidnap plot: Police in Italy say Lukasz Herba, pictured, 'kidnapped and tried to sell a British model on the dark web for £270,000'

The 20-year-old model told police she had been lured to a fake photoshoot in Milan where she was drugged, stripped and handcuffed before being bundled into a suitcase in the boot of a car

Herba's lawyer, George Hepburne Scott, raised questions over the account given by Ms Ayling, of Coulsdon, south London, who claims she was drugged and bundled into the boot of a car after being tricked into attending the bogus photoshoot in Milan on July 11

Picture of the mountain house where Chloe Ayling was allegedly held in the village of Borgial near Turin

Pictured is the room where 'kidnapped' British model Chloe Ayling was allegedly held by captors

'Prior to the release of the complainant, the kidnapper apparently issued a press release to a tabloid newspaper setting out that this lady was being held for auction.'

The lawyer also pointed to an alleged incident during which Ms Ayling and her captor went shopping for shoes, calling it a 'wholly anomalous feature of a hostage situation'.

She also went to breakfast with the kidnapper before her release when the pair found the British consulate was closed, Mr Scott added.

'It would amount to an abuse of process of the court if there was any evidence to suggest this was a publicity stunt,' he told the judge.

Ms Ayling said she will be releasing a book about her time in captivity

'This case has a unique set of anomalies which might lead to the conclusion that the Italian authorities have been duped and that their process has been abused.'

District Judge Paul Goldspring pointed out much of the material relied on by Mr Scott came from press reports, which he said did not prove any of the theories in the case. He will give his ruling on Friday.

The judge added: 'You understand what's going to be argued is that your family life should prevent your extradition?

'For example you could have served medical notes showing your partner is pregnant. But all I have is your word for it.'

The court heard the Italian authorities had DNA, video and tapped telephone evidence.

Herba has been kept at HMP Wandsworth while awaiting the hearing.

Florence Iveson, representing the judicial authority, asked Herba: 'You say you have a partner but you have not provided her name, she is not here to give evidence today.

'We have no information about your relationship with her, how do we know she exists?'

Lukasz Herba said he was paid £500,000, but when he found out the Romanians intended to kidnap and sell her as a sex slave, he backed out of the plan.

These pictures were emailed to her agent and used to advertise her 'for sale' on the dark we

The Italian press has questioned why alleged kidnapper Herba would accompany Miss Ayling into the British consulate in Milan

Mother-of-one Ms Ayling was said to be drugged handcuffed and dumped in the boot of a car by the gang who called themselves Black Death and then tried to sell her on the Dark Web, possibly to Middle Eastern buyers.

Lukasz Pawel Herba has said his involvement stems from wanting to raise money to treat his leukaemia and that he was hired by a group of Romanians to rent properties around Europe to store garments they were selling.

Mr Hepburne Scott added: 'The judicial authority has failed to provide any particularity whatsoever about what the allegations Mr Herba has done.

'We simply don't know what the conduct alleged is.

'We don't know if the authorities are alleging he was the one who drugged her, grabbed her or drove a car or was a look out.'

Ms Ayling said she will be releasing a book about her time in captivity.