Extortion and threat denied

An Eaglesham man is facing charges of extortion and threatening to have alleged victims shot.

William Steele, 36, of Low Borland Way, denied all the charges against him when he appeared in the dock at Hamilton Sheriff Court.

He is accused of being in possession of a knife on a Bothwell street on September 10, 2013, and a separate charge of assaulting a woman by running towards her while in possession of the weapon and threatening to stab her. Steele is also accused of brandishing the knife at the woman and threatening to stab her and her father on the same date.

The charges go on to accuse him of attempting to extort £45,000 from the same man three years later, on November 2, 2016, at another address in Bothwell.

It is alleged he threatened to cause harm to him and members of his family unless the cash was handed over.

An alternative charge accuses the man of uttering threats to the victim and family and demanding money from them. Steele further pled not guilty to trying to extort £50,000 from two further victims, also on November 2 last year, at a third Bothwell address.

It is alleged he threatened to harm them and members of their family, damage their property and their business and threatened to have them shot unless the cash was handed over.

Or, alternatively, he is accused of threatening the victims, members of their family, their property and their business and demanding cash f.

The case was continued until October 9 for trial.