A thug abducted a man from his own home at knifepoint, forced him into a van and threatened to kill him – all over an unpaid bike repair bill.
Craig Edgar turned up at his victim’s home in Aberdeen late at night and rained punches on him before locking him in the back of his van and driving him to the beach.
There, the 37-year-old continued to violently attack the man and made him phone his mother to send him the £2,000 he claimed he was owed.
Despite the extraordinary, violent and terrifying lengths Edgar went to, he claimed the supposed debt was nothing to do with drugs, but instead was related to some bike repairs.
Fiscal depute Rebecca Thompson told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the victim had been at home with his partner on January 22 last year when the incident happened.
Around 11.15pm, he heard the doorbell and loud banging along with his name being shouted through the letter box.
‘Get my money or you’re dead’
When the man answered the door, Edgar punched him in the face without warning, knocking him backwards into the stairs.
He tried to cover his face as Edgar and another male he did not know jumped on top of him and began punching him.
The man’s partner, who was still upstairs, heard the disturbance and the complainer shouting “stop hitting me”.
Edgar then ordered his victim upstairs where the couple were made to hand over their phones and he explained he was there to “collect money” from the complainer.
The intruders continued to punch the man during this time and Edgar produced a knife from his pocket which he held at chest height.
He punched his victim once more and ordered him to get into his van outside.
The terrified man did as he was told and Edgar locked the van door behind him.
This was witnessed by a neighbour who dialled 999.
While in the van, the complainer was able to see that they drove through Ashwood Drive and onto Jesmond Drive, heading south.
During the journey, Edgar repeatedly demanded £2,000, warning: “You have to get my f***ing money or you’re dead.”
The desperate victim pleaded with Edgar, insisting he could get the money if he was allowed to phone his mother.
Eventually, the van parked up near an underpass leading to the beach and Edgar punched his victim several more times.
After turning off the location services on his victim’s phone and making sure his partner hadn’t used hers to call the police, he handed him the phone to call his mother.
‘There better be no comeback’
Ms Thompson told the court: “The complainer called his mother and immediately pleaded with her to send him £2,000 and not to ask any questions.
“The complainer’s mother noted that he sounded panicked and terrified.
“The accused then punched the complainer again which caused him to fall onto his back where the accused punched him another two or three times.
“The complainer’s mother could hear the complainer say ‘please don’t hurt me, please don’t hurt me’.”
At this point, Edgar took the phone and spoke to the man’s mother himself.
He told her she had to get the money or else he would kill her son.
He also warned: “There better be no comeback and if you go to the police, you know what will happen.”
The man’s stepfather transferred him the £2,000 and he transferred it on to Edgar.
While this was happening, Edgar told the panicked mother he wanted another £650 the following day.
She agreed.
At this, Edgar got back into the van and left, leaving his distraught victim at the beach.
While waiting for his mum to pick him up, the complainer received a call from the police.
He told them he did not want any police presence.
Regardless, the police did meet him back at his address and noted he had bruising to his eye, forehead, lip and nose.
Significant record of previous convictions
In the early hours of January 23 2023, the complainer received a number of video calls from Edgar who demanded he prove he was not with the police and said he still owed him £650.
The extra £650 was then paid as well and the entire episode reported to the police.
Edgar, of Auchmacoy, Ellon, pled guilty to abduction and robbery to injury, as well as two charges of extortion.
Defence agent George Mathers accepted his client had a “significant record of previous convictions.”
The lawyer explained Edgar had started using drugs heavily following the breakdown of his relationship and loss of contact with his child.
He said: “His life just went completely wrong from that moment on.”
The court heard Edgar is already serving a 17-month sentence regarding a separate matter.
Mr Mathers said a social work report indicated Edgar had tried to “minimise” the offences but insisted this was not the case.
Sheriff Ian Wallace said: “I think the point is he doesn’t appreciate how serious his conduct was.”
‘The terror … is difficult to imagine’
Mr Mathers replied: “He does now. I made it absolutely clear how serious the court would regard conduct of this nature.
“The terror the complainer and his parents would have been put through is difficult to imagine.”
Mr Mathers continued: “He says the debt was not drug-related.
“The complainer was a former friend of his. He had rebuilt the complainer’s motorbike and was repeatedly asking for payment and repeatedly put off.
“He was frustrated because no payment was coming. He was at the end of his tether.”
Sheriff Wallace told Edgar: “If you didn’t fully appreciate how serious the matter is, hopefully you do now.
“You arrived uninvited, armed with a knife, you assaulted him, drove him around in your van, threatened to kill him and threatened to his mother that you would kill him.
“I’m satisfied only a lengthy custodial sentence is appropriate in this case.”
The sheriff imposed a five-year extended sentence consisting of four years in custody and a further 12 months on licence.
The sentence is to be served consecutive to Edgar’s current sentence.
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