Ex-Midlands magistrate, 42, admits blackmail plot
A former magistrate who told a man he would be murdered unless he was paid £80,000 has been told he faces going to prison.
A former magistrate who told a man he would be murdered unless he was paid £80,000 has been told he faces going to prison.
Robert Dell once hailed as a have-a-go hero and given a national award, yesterday pleaded guilty to blackmail and possession of a shotgun.
The 42-year-old, once of West Bromwich and now of Pentridge Close, Sutton Coldfield, served on the bench at the town's magistrates court.
He was a magistrate until his arrest for blackmailing David Tarbuck between March 28 and 30 this year.
The offences came to light when he collected £5,000 in part payment in the car park of a fast food restaurant.
Barrister Miss Helena Miller, prosecuting at Wolv-erhampton Crown Court, told the hearing Dell had admitted he made telephone calls and sent text messages to his victim demanding £80,000 or else he and family would be killed.
"There were then a further five silent phone calls and series of text messages in a similar vein," she said.
"The most important phone calls and text messages were in fact made by him. The complainant called the police. Thereafter the police became involved and covert surveillance was made.
"The defendant made telephone calls to the complainant and arrangements were made to the effect that £5,000 would be collected from a Burger King car park. Marked money was put in the back of a car and the police were covertly watching that car."
Barrister Mr Richard Bond, defending, said Dell a father-of-two, who runs his own engineering and welding business had been granted bail, after spending time in custody.
Judge Martin Walsh halted the hearing until July 15 for further information about the case to be provided.
"Blackmail and possession of a shotgun are serious matters," Judge Walsh told Dell. "Prison is a real option."
The former Justice of the Peace picked up a national accolade at the Association of Chief Police Officers Police Public Bravery Awards in 2009 for protecting a lone policeman during a mass street brawl in West Bromwich.
By Deborah Stewart
