A gangland enforcer who targeted an innocent couple’s Tayside home in a bid to frighten them into paying off their son’s drug debt has been jailed for 14 months.
Robert Notman, 45, tried to extort money from the addict’s mother by targeting her home and demanding she repay her son’s £80,000 debt.
Notman made two 160-mile round trips to slash tyres and smash windows to terrify the parents at their quiet residential villa, Dundee Sheriff Court was told.
He and fellow henchman Lewis Goldfarb had been sent to Dundee by their mystery underworld boss in Glasgow to “persuade” the couple to pay up.
Notman and Goldfarb, 39, admitted trying to extort money from the mother on December 5 2022 by informing her her son owed money to people in Glasgow.
Goldfarb admitted slashing car tyres the same day.
Both admitted returning six days later, when Goldfarb brought a knife and slashed the tyres of a Transit van after demanding entry to a rental property owned by another relative.
He admitted smashing the family’s CCTV camera to hide evidence of their visit, while Notman admitted banging on the door, demanding entry and smashing a window.
First menacing visit
The court was told Notman had suffered a heart attack in prison while being held on remand and had been receiving treatment at Perth Royal Infirmary.
Sheriff Alistair Carmichael told Notman the serious and repeated nature of the offence meant there was no alternative to a custodial sentence.
Fiscal depute Lora Apostolova previously told the court the homeowner became aware of the two heavies outside her home after a security camera was activated.
“She went outside and saw two males behind the security gate, next to a Transit van.
“Both had prominent Glasgow accents.
“She was aware this was an incident relating to issues to do with her son’s drug debts.”
The prosecutor said Goldfarb told her: “He owes all sorts of money – 80 grand, 81 grand. We were told to come here. We will not go away. We will keep coming back.
“He owes one boy money. He has told him to sort it out.”
Violent attack on return
When the duo returned to the family home the following week, the mother was alone and was left terrified as they battered at the door and smashed a window.
She contacted police when she realised they had slashed the tyres of a vehicle parked outside and ripped the CCTV system from the wall to remove evidence of their visit.
The police managed to trace the duo within the hour and Goldfarb was found to be carrying a lock-knife.
The court was told both men had a history of violence.
Sheriff Carmichael said: “You were chasing a drug debt.
“You knew you were speaking to the parents and continued to act in the way you did.”
Goldfarb was jailed for two years at an earlier calling of the case.
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