A violent Manchester thug and three others who bombarded a businessman with death threats and torched his car in a blackmail scheme have been convicted.
Tommy Roye, 39, of Flixton Road, Urmston, Marcel Lauder, 44, of Morningside Close, Derby, Jamie Keegan, 31 of Epsom Avenue, Sale, and another man who cannot be named appeared in court today due to be sentenced at a later trial.
The four men planned the plot after the businessman’s partner, who owned a Cheshire nightclub, owed up to £30,000 to various people including Roye. The two men had an altercation in a stretford pub on August 13 and the man in debt called the businessmen asking for help.
The victim then drove to the pub and spoke to his partner who told him he feared for his life and the victim told Roye he would pay him £5,000 toward the debt.
However on October 1 at around 11pm the victim was ambushed as he and a friend left the Lord Nelson Pub in Urmston by Roye who demanded to know where his money was and threatened: “You know who we are; you know what we can do. I’ll put you in that skip over there.”
The businessman feared for his life and handed the keys of his Audi over to Roye. The following morning the victim sent a text to Roye asking for his car back in exchange for another £5,000. The car was eventually returned but on October 10 the victim was bombarded with texts from Roye demanding payment.
The businessman replied saying he had no option but to contact the police in which Roye replied: “POLICE, CALL THE FIRE SERVICE ASWEL,” (sic)
Roye recruited Lauder and Keegan to torch the victim’s people carrier which was parked at his home address on October 12 at around 8pm. Roye and the second man were arrested the next day with two ornamental Samurai swords and a machete seized from his house.
Detective Inspector Morris, of Trafford’s Operation Bank, said: “This was a long and complex investigation and we are extremely grateful to the victim and witnesses for having the courage to come forward and speak out against a group of intimidating and dangerous organised criminals.”
Roye was convicted of blackmail, conspiracy to commit arson and threatening to destroy property while Lauder and Keegan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit arson and blackmail. The fourth man was convicted of arson.
Image courtesy of Jason Bolonski via Flickr, with thanks.
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