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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| False 999 call led to 12 Dundee roadblocks | False 999 call led to 12 Dundee roadblocks |
| (4 days later) | |
| Police officers set up 12 roadblocks around a city after a businessman falsely claimed to police he had been robbed, a court has heard. | |
| Shafiq Jamal had been involved in a deal to buy nine iPhones for just £700 from two men in a car in Dundee. | Shafiq Jamal had been involved in a deal to buy nine iPhones for just £700 from two men in a car in Dundee. |
| The 26-year-old told police he had been robbed and threatened with a weapon after the men ripped him off. The roadblocks were set up to catch them. | The 26-year-old told police he had been robbed and threatened with a weapon after the men ripped him off. The roadblocks were set up to catch them. |
| Jamal, from Dundee, pleaded guilty to wasting police time on 4 November 2011. | Jamal, from Dundee, pleaded guilty to wasting police time on 4 November 2011. |
| Dundee Sheriff Court heard the men in the car handed over a bag with no phones in it - but Jamal did not notice until they had left with his cash. | Dundee Sheriff Court heard the men in the car handed over a bag with no phones in it - but Jamal did not notice until they had left with his cash. |
| CCTV footage | CCTV footage |
| He then dialled 999 - claiming two men with Liverpool accents had stuck a weapon into his back before making off in a maroon coloured Ford Focus with his cash. | He then dialled 999 - claiming two men with Liverpool accents had stuck a weapon into his back before making off in a maroon coloured Ford Focus with his cash. |
| The court was told 22 officers and four civilian control room staff were immediately put on the case - with the officers setting up road blocks on every route in and out of the city. | The court was told 22 officers and four civilian control room staff were immediately put on the case - with the officers setting up road blocks on every route in and out of the city. |
| But the lies were exposed after police reviewed CCTV footage and saw Jamal talking to the men in the car, leaning in to the window to talk to the men. | But the lies were exposed after police reviewed CCTV footage and saw Jamal talking to the men in the car, leaning in to the window to talk to the men. |
| Fiscal depute Trina Sinclair said: "The accused's associate provided a statement saying the two men had been selling iPhones and the accused had agreed to pay £700 for nine. | Fiscal depute Trina Sinclair said: "The accused's associate provided a statement saying the two men had been selling iPhones and the accused had agreed to pay £700 for nine. |
| "He didn't check the contents of the bag he was given until the men drove off. His associate said he had felt pressured into making his initial statement that there had been a robbery." | "He didn't check the contents of the bag he was given until the men drove off. His associate said he had felt pressured into making his initial statement that there had been a robbery." |
| Jim Laverty, defending, said Jamal - a manager at his family's Property World business in Dundee - did not want to report the actual fraud he had been subjected to because it constituted a crime by him. | Jim Laverty, defending, said Jamal - a manager at his family's Property World business in Dundee - did not want to report the actual fraud he had been subjected to because it constituted a crime by him. |
| 'Incredibly stupid' | 'Incredibly stupid' |
| He told the court: "After he was diddled he sought advice and unfortunately that was to the effect that police would likely not take him seriously. | He told the court: "After he was diddled he sought advice and unfortunately that was to the effect that police would likely not take him seriously. |
| "When he was discussing this it suddenly dawned on Mr Jamal that he had put himself in a very difficult situation. | "When he was discussing this it suddenly dawned on Mr Jamal that he had put himself in a very difficult situation. |
| Mr Laverty added that his client was "totally ashamed of himself". | Mr Laverty added that his client was "totally ashamed of himself". |
| Sheriff George Way fined Jamal £300 and ordered him to pay Tayside Police £500 in compensation. | Sheriff George Way fined Jamal £300 and ordered him to pay Tayside Police £500 in compensation. |
| He said: "You know this was incredibly stupid and I heard the number of officers deployed. | He said: "You know this was incredibly stupid and I heard the number of officers deployed. |
| "This could have got really out of hand - people approaching roadblocks do idiotic things and you would have been the trigger for that." | "This could have got really out of hand - people approaching roadblocks do idiotic things and you would have been the trigger for that." |