A Fife delivery driver who tried to blackmail £25,000 from his vulnerable mistress by threatening to expose a sex tape to her family will be sentenced next month.
A sheriff ordered social work reports to be prepared on Glenrothes domestic abuser Yasir Butt ahead of sentencing.
The 37-year-old previously admitted trying to extort the five-figure sum from the woman, who was being medicated for mental health issues.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard that at a hotel rendezvous in April 2020 two months into their relationship, the pair agreed to film themselves having sex, as long as married Butt deleted the film afterwards.
A month later, Butt’s mistress spoke with his wife so he demanded £10,000 from her, threatening to show the tape to her family.
Days later, Butt upped the sum to £25,000 and the woman contacted police.
Butt, formerly of Alexander Street in Glenrothes and Broad Street in Cowdenbeath, never received any payment.
Punishment, not blackmail
Butt’s solicitor Dewar Spence explained the video had been deleted.
He said it was an empty threat and his client had no expectation of being paid the money.
In a police interview, Butt denied the attempted extortion and the affair, despite hotel CCTV showing the pair entering for their illicit encounter.
On Butt’s phone, officers found consensually-sent intimate photographs of the woman.
Despite claims the blackmail video has been deleted, the Crown has asked for Butt’s mobile phone to be forfeited.
At the beginning of the Crown narrative, fiscal depute Ronnie Hay explained, as well as the usual stress involved in sextortion demands, there were “cultural sensitives” relating to the 29-year-old complainer, who lived with her parents.
Mr Spence explained the initial £10,000 figure had been mentioned as a “punishment” for speaking to his wife, rather than blackmail.
He said: “There is reference to her contacting the accused’s wife and him asking for money and his position, in relation to that, (is) she should never contact his wife again.
“The accused’s position is that there was never any expectation that that money would be paid.
“As I understand it, she wasn’t working and had no financial stance to work from.”
Domestic abuse offences
Butt, who is currently remanded at HMP Perth, also admitted a string of offences as he tormented his wife over an 18-month period.
On various occasions between 2017 and 2019 he assaulted her by seizing and nipping her.
He also admitted breaching the Domestic Abuse Scotland Act 2018 at both his Glenrothes home and at Staffordshire theme park Alton Towers by shouting and swearing and making offensive remarks.
He threatened to make false allegations to police about her and threatened to take their children abroad and never return.
The court heard this behaviour took place in front of relatives, who never challenged him.
Butt also admitted breaching bail conditions ordering he avoid his wife and their home less than two weeks after they were imposed by repeatedly attending in March this year, demanding to speak and sending her a voicemail.
The pair had been married in 2012.
Sheriff James Williamson deferred sentence until September 5.
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