Two men who extorted money from a Fife property developer using notes with letters cut from newspapers have been jailed for a total of 10 years.
John Edward Cowbrough, 47, from Airdrie, and James Wilson, 53, from Tillicoultry, threatened to kill members of their victim’s family unless he paid them £60,000.
They were caught after the Inverkeithing developer contacted police when a demand for a further £375,000 was made.
Wilson had been a friend and colleague of the victim for 20 years when he became involved in the terrifying plot.
The two accused were sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on Friday and were each jailed for five years.
They were convicted of extortion and attempted extortion at a previous hearing in November.
The court heard that between January 1 and March 1 2013, Cowbrough and Wilson sent their victim anonymous letters in which they threatened to kill members of his family unless he paid £60,000.
The notes were spelled out with letters cut from newspapers.
The accused then made anonymous phone calls in which they pretended the letters had been sent by dangerous criminals and that the threats would stop once the funds were handed over.
They instructed him where and when to deposit the money.
The victim actually confided in Wilson, not knowing he was behind the threats, and Wilson offered his services as a courier, saying he would take the money to those demanding it.
His victim agreed to the plan and handed over £60,000, which was kept by the two accused.
Cowbrough and Wilson made a second attempt at extorting the property developer between April 22 and May 9 last year.
This time they sent anonymous hand-stencilled letters threatening violence against him and his family unless he paid £375,000.
Again, numerous anonymous phone calls were received but the victim became concerned about the level of their knowledge of his movements and went to the police.
Action has now begun to retrieve the money from the accused under Proceeds of Crime legislation.
Kenny Donnelly, procurator fiscal for High Court cases in the East of Scotland, said blackmail and extortion could have a profound financial and emotional impact on victims.
“I would encourage anyone who receives threatening material of this nature not to suffer in silence,” he said.
“Scotland’s police and prosecutors will deal with any such allegations with the sensitivity they deserve and will make every effort to ensure that the perpetrators are apprehended and brought to face the full force of the law.”