Blackmailer demanded £10,000 from pal and threatened to report him for rape if he didn't pay up
Blackmailer Amin Wali threatened to accuse his work colleague of rape, if he didn't pay him £10,000.
The 30-year-old demanded the cash from his victim after the man slept with Wali's on-off partner, Teesside Crown Court heard. Wali texted his victim saying he would tell the police that he had raped his girlfriend and told the man he would face prison, if he didn't pay up.
The victim, who knew Wali from working at a takeaway together, was left terrified. He borrowed £5,000 from friends and handed that over, but Wali continued to send him threats for the rest of the cash.
READ MORE:Duo left man with fractured skull after smashing planks of wood over his head in garden fight
READ MORE:Brothers pay tribute to man who took own life in Holme House Prison
READ MORE: Blackmail victim told to pay £500 or risk intimate Snapchat pics being sent to family and friends
Teesside Crown Court has heard that Wali began threatening his workmate after a chance meeting on a night out. The pair bumped into each other in a nightclub, where Wali was with his partner and other pals.
They went on to drink at the victim's flat and John Hobley, prosecuting, told the court that Wali's work colleague had consensual sex with Wali's girlfriend. Wali began threatening his victim hours later.
On Monday, Wali appeared in court, via video link from Durham prison, after pleading guilty to blackmail and to an additional stalking offence. He has previous convictions for driving and drugs offences.
129 calls to ex
The Middlesbrough court heard after his relationship came to an end, Wali repeatedly turned up at his ex-partner's house and workplace. He kicked her front door and tried to crawl under her garden fence. On one occasion, Wali called his ex 129 times.
He sent her a text message showing a picture of a handgun, which Mr Hobley said was taken as "an attempt to threaten her." Wali was arrested after he tried to smash her windows. He was granted bail, but continued to contact his victim.
In mitigation, Alaric Walmsley told the court that his client turned up at his ex-partner's home, but "there was no actual violence." Wali's barrister asked the court to suspend his prison sentence, saying that he has his parent's home to go to on his release; and he has job prospects, after completing a barbering course whist being held on remand in prison.
Relationship 'turned nasty'
Judge Stephen Ashurst told him: "Your victim had consensual sex with your girlfriend and you threatened to report him to the police, unless he paid you £10,000. You told him he should kill himself. He went to the police.
"You stalked your ex-girlfriend. You had had an on-off relationship which turned nasty when when the relationship came to an end. You wore her down. After you were arrested, you continued to call her."
Wali, of Evesham Road in central Middlesbrough, was jailed for five-years. He was made the subject of a restraining order banning him from contacting his victims for five-years.
For daily news from Teesside's courts direct to your inbox, go here to sign up to our free court newsletter