Extortionist jailed after threat to murder family

Man, 27, sentenced to eight years after victims menaced by sinister voice of ‘Jackal’

A criminal “debt collector” who made chilling threats as he extorted cash from his victims was jailed for eight years yesterday.

During a meeting with the two men in Dundee, Dylan Nicholson made a phone call to a man nicknamed “Jackal” and let them listen as he threatened to kill family members if the money was not handed over.

One of the victims told the High Court in Edinburgh he was then contacted by Jackal, who spoke with “a pure Liverpool accent”, claiming that money was owed to him.

Nicholson, 27, using the name Ryan, got in touch and arranged to meet the man and his friend at a Tesco Extra store at Dundee’s Riverside Drive.

The court heard they went to a car and Nicholson made a call to Jackal and put him on loudspeaker.

The witness told the court: “He said ‘we know where you live’. He said ‘I am going to make sure your house is blown up’.”

The man told the court further threats were made that his friend’s business would be blown up and his daughter would be dead.

“He said ‘I am going to going to finish you all if you don’t pay my money’.”

The witness said his friend said he did not owe money but paid £11,000 because of the threat to his family.

Nicholson, a prisoner in Addielwell jail in West Lothian, was found guilty of attempting to extort £24,000 from two men in Dundee and Fife and extorting £11,000 from one of them by threats between March 1 and June 6 last year.

He was also convicted of trying to extort £20,000 from a third man in Uphall, in West Lothian, between June 6 and 15.

A jury acquitted him of a further charge of attempting to murder a woman in West Lothian by setting fire to the front door of a house on June 10.

The third victim had a letter put through his door containing a phone number and when he called it Nicholson told him he was to collect money owed by his son.

Nicholson’s fingerprints were later found on the note and envelope.

Advocate depute Leanne McQuillan told jurors that the evidence painted “a clear picture” of Nicholson attempting to collect debts for someone else, well aware that threats were being made.

Sentencing Nicholson, Lord Armstrong said: “Where serious crime of this type is concerned this court will make it clear that those who may be minded to commit such crimes must expect lengthy custodial sentences.”

The judge pointed out Nicholson’s previous criminal record included convictions for serious assault and assault and robbery and ordered the sentence be served at the end of his current one.