A businessman called in police after receiving intimidating phone calls about an alleged debt of £30,000, a Court heard.

Bradford Crown Court was told police fitted recording equipment to father-of-three Kevin Sloane's home telephone and later attached a covert microphone to him when he went to a meeting at the Cedar Court Hotel.

Yesterday, a former business associate of Mr Sloane, 37-year-old James Ferguson, of Northgate, Baildon, was jailed for 15 months after admitting blackmail.

Another man, 28-year-old Glen Crosthwaite, of Crane Wells View, Colton, Leeds, received a jail sentence of nine months after he admitted the same charge.

Prosecutor Jonathon Gibson explained how Mr Sloane and Ferguson had collaborated in the sale of motor vehicles but after their arrangement terminated there was a dispute over money allegedly owed to Ferguson.

In March 2000, Mr Sloane began receiving intimidating phone calls from Crosthwaite, who was using the name Roberts, demanding payment of the debt.

Mr Sloane disputed the amount owed to Ferguson, but eventually agreed to a meeting.

Crosthwaite and another man met him at the hotel, but no money was handed over.

Mr Gibson said there were further phone calls between Mr Sloane, Crosthwaite and Ferguson and eventually the two defendants were arrested.

Sentencing the pair, Judge Stephen Gullick said blackmail was an unpleasant and nasty offence and had involved making an unwarranted demand designed to frighten the victim.

He said Ferguson had resorted to 'bringing in the heavies' instead of seeking legal advice.

Ferguson, who had previously served in the Parachute Regiment, pleaded guilty to blackmail on the basis he did not authorise Crosthwaite to make any threats, explicit or implicit, towards Mr Sloane or his family.

His barrister David Taylor said: ''He genuinely believed there would be no actual violence and, of course, there was not.''

Crosthwaite's barrister, Thomas Bayliss, said he had been misled by Ferguson into thinking Mr Sloane was a 'shady character'.

He admitted blackmail as he believed it was a genuine debt owed to Ferguson.