A MAN had no choice but to hand over £20,000 after being held at gunpoint, a court heard.
The victim was allegedly held at gunpoint and forced to drive from Benfleet to Stifford Clays to collect the cash by a gang.
The man gave evidence at Basildon Crown Court yesterday and told the jury he was ordered to hand over the cash after allegedly “slagging off ”
someone he thought was a friend.
Jade Quinn, 34, of Norfolk Close, Canvey and Stephen Musgrove, 24, of York Road, Southend are both are on trial charged with conspiring to kidnap and conspiring to commit robbery.
Shorn Charles-Chance and Karl Curtis, both 34, of Wanstead Lane, Ilford, are on trial charged with conspire to kidnap, conspire to commit robbery and possessing imitation firearm.
Charles-Chance is also charged with blackmail.
The victim said: “I had messages and calls from Shorn Charles-Chance about meeting him and I arranged to do so near KFC in Benfleet.
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“When I got there I noticed he was with Stephen Musgrove, who said I was slagging off Karl Curtis, I told them it wasn’t true.
“Shorn Charles-Chance said I had done wrong and I needed to pay and he said he was going to stab me. He was saying it aggressively.
“I saw he had a gun in his pocket and he then pointed it at my stomach and was telling me I was going to pay then £20,000.
“He was getting more and more aggressive and he said I was going with them. I did it as I was at gunpoint and had no choice. “ He said he saw another car down the road with people standing around it. He told the court Charles-Chance told Musgrove to get in the vehicle and follow them.
He told the court CharlesChance walked him to his car.
The case previously heard the victims says he was targeted at the junction of London Road, Lambeth Road and Hadleigh Gardens in Benfleet.
The jury was told on Wednesday that Charles-Chance called the victim the following day and attempted to make him pay £30,000.
The court heard CharlesChance threatened to kill the victim and his family if the money was not paid.
The trial continues.
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