Devious blackmailer supplied vulnerable pair with spice drug after moving into their Leeds home
An unscrupulous man who gave a vulnerable pair the psycho-active drug spice and moved into their home has been jailed after being found guilty of blackmail.
Gino Clark was cleared of modern-day slavery after a trial, but was convicted of the blackmail offence.
In addition, he admitted causing ABH to the man he blackmailed, and possessing an offensive weapon in public after a separate incident.
The 33-year-old was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this week.
It was heard that Clark had moved in with the man and woman in Armley in late 2023. The man was a carer for the woman and the court was told that it was “linked” to Clark being a spice addict who also supplied the illegal drug to the pair.
Clark had later demanded money from the male to buy a television. The man withdrew his last £200 and Clark took £180 after telling the man he would “batter the sh** out of him” if he didn’t hand the cash over.
On another occasion in February last year, he hit the man so hard it left him with a perforated eardrum.
In December 2023, he was part of a gang that was waving machetes around on Gamble Hill close to a school during class hours. Clark was later caught with a bag containing a machete.
The court heard that Clark, of no fixed address, has more than 100 previous offences to his name, including robbery.
Mitigating, Andrea Parnham said it had not been Clark waving the machete on that occasion, but accepted his presence. She said he had made progress in prison and has aspirations of buying a plot and living there once he is released.
He appeared in court over the video link from HMP Hull.
Judge Neil Clark pointed to Clark’s dependency on spice as a catalyst - a synthetic cannabinoid designed to mimic the effects of cannabis but which is often more potent.
He jailed him for five years and 10 months.