A DISGRUNTLED former employee of a kebab firm threatened his former boss with a gun in an attempt to extort £50,000, a court heard.
Gentjan Prenci, 33, a former packer at Kismet Kebabs in Latchingdon, appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday (July 11) accused of two counts of blackmail and one count of conspiracy to blackmail.
In the dock with Prenci was co-defendant Vladens Basovs, a 26-year-old doorman, of Rainsford Road, Chelmsford, who is charged with one count of conspiracy to blackmail.
Prenci, of Homemead, Galleywood, who worked at Kismet for six months in 2011, was allegedly sacked from the factory after threatening another employee with a knife, the court heard.
He subsequently took Kismet Kebabs to a tribunal and was awarded £400, but the Crown alleged Prenci wanted more.
The prosecution claims he then began making threats from April or May in 2013 to the owners of the business, Peter Michael and Jamal Enver, first obtaining £2,000 and then £3,000 in cash from them in pub car parks.
The threats quickly escalated, culminating in a pub car park rendezvous where Prenci threatened Mr Michael whilst holding a gun on October 17.
"He walked across the road and he said he'd do bad things to me," Mr Michael told the court. "He said 'I want 50 grand'. I was traumatised, I was trembling.
"It's difficult. He sounded ruthless, calm and calculated."
Prosecution solicitor Stephen Rose said: "Michael alleged that he saw Prenci in possession of a bag and saw the barrel of a pistol in that bag."
The court was shown a number of texts sent from Prenci to Mr Michael, including one which read: "Bruv you think you are going to win with me. Watch your step. Big boys in action."
The Crown alleges that after paying a second lump sum of £3,000 to Prenci in a white envelope, the defendant asked for a further £1,400 straight away and brought Basovs down to the factory as "muscle" on October 22.
Basovs, who drove to the site, claims that they were just friends from the gym and didn't know where Prenci was taking him.
Mr Rose, for the Crown, said: "He was muscle to add to the intimidation and his presence was motivated by the money he was owed by Prenci."
After getting the text on October 22, Mr Michael told police. On October 23, Prenci and Basovs were arrested.
Both deny the charges and the trial continues at Chelmsford Crown Court.
