The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Manhunt for the accused
COURT: Londoner went missing just minutes before jury could deliver its verdict
Police had to launch an urgent search when a man accused of extortion vanished from court minutes before a jury was to consider its verdict in his case.
Bradley Long stood trial last week accused of demanding £36,500 from his gay lover to conceal his cocaine fuelled sex life from his family.
He was later convicted and jailed for two-and-a-half years over the plot.
But on Friday Long vanished from Dundee Sheriff Court moments before a sheriff was due to give his closing instructions to the jury considering the case.
Closing speeches by the prosecution and defence finished at 11.30am – with Long then told there would be a fiveminute break before the sheriff gave his directions to the jury.
Long then walked from courtroom number four to the front door claiming he needed “fresh air” – before disappearing.
Police were immediately dispatched to Dundee’s bus and train stations – and even pulled over a southbound Megabus that left the city shortly after Long vanished.
Bemused travellers on the service watched on as the bus was pulled over by police on the A90 between Dundee and Perth and searched for the scammer.
Long eventually surfaced at 12.45pm claiming he thought he was not due back until 2pm.
Jurors were told there had been a “technical difficulty” and sent for an early lunch as the bizarre events unfolded.
They eventually took just two hours to find Long guilty of the extortion bid, as well as a charge of being concerned in the supply of cocaine and threatening and abusive behaviour.
A three-day trial heard how a man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, handed over more then £81,000 to Long over the course of four years, apparently to fund their cocaine fuelled sex sessions.
But things turned nasty when Long demanded £36,500 from the man, who had already given up his life savings and taken loans to hand over cash to Long, and threatened to expose his hidden lifestyle to his family.
Long, 31, of London, denied one charge of extortion, one of attempted extortion, one of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner and two under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
The offences were said to have taken place between May 30 2011 and March 9 2015 at addresses in Angus.
A jury of six men and nine women took two hours to find Long guilty of the attempted extortion, threatening and abusive behaviour and supplying cocaine.