Man jailed after attempt to extort JOD 10

The Amman Magistrates Court has sentenced a repeat offender to three years in prison and imposed fines after he threatened a hotel receptionist with vehicle vandalism unless he was given JOD 10 in protection money.

In a public session, Judge Atiyah Al-Saud's panel, specialized in extortion and bullying crimes, convicted the defendant of demonstrating power, threatening violence, and using threats to obtain material benefits, in violation of Article 415/1 of the Penal Code.

According to the court decision, reviewed by Roya, the incident occurred while the complainant was working at a hotel in Amman. 

The defendant demanded 10 dinars as protection money. When the complainant refused, the defendant became agitated, picked up an iron bar at the hotel's entrance, and threatened to damage the vehicles parked in front of the hotel.

Out of fear for the vehicles and to avoid further trouble, the complainant asked a witness to give the defendant three dinars. The defendant forcibly took four dinars from the complainant and the witness.

The court found that the defendant had a lengthy criminal record, including numerous crimes involving dishonesty and immorality. He was considered a threat to public safety and had been placed under house arrest several times, but continued to violate the conditions. 

The court noted that the defendant had 87 previous criminal records and had faced charges for attempted theft, drunkenness with disorderly conduct, obstructing lawful work, violating house arrest, slander, libel, simple assault, false accusations, threats, and breach of trust, among other offenses.