A MAN who blackmailed a shopkeeper by threatening him and his family with violence if he didn’t pay £10,000 has been jailed for 30 months.

Before Ipswich Crown Court was Goran Karim, of Broomwade Close, Ipswich, who had denied blackmail between March 25 and April 13 last year but was found guilty by a jury after a four-day trial.

During the trial the victim of the blackmail told the court that he received a telephone call on March 26 last year telling him he should get £10,000 together in the next few days.

Three days later his wife answered a call on his phone and was asked by the caller if the money was ready.

Two days later he received another call which contained a threat to his family if he didn’t get the money.

The man went to the police and was told not to answer any more calls.

Asked by prosecutor Robert Sadd how the calls, which came from a withheld number made him feel, the man said: “I was worried for myself and my family.”

Robert Sadd prosecuting said a number of phones which could be linked to 21-year-old Karim had been used to contact the shopkeeper during the period of the blackmail.

Jailing Karim, Recorder Simon Farrell described the attempt to blackmail the shopkeeper as “fairly clumsy” but said it had caused the victim and his family considerable fear and anxiety.

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