Man accused of extorting more than £600 from Bantaskine pensioner

A sheriff has issued a warrant for the arrest of a man accused of extorting hundreds of pounds from a 77-year-old grandmother '” over her grandson's alleged drugs debt.

Ryan McMinn failed to appear for a hearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court

Ryan McMinn (37) is said to have “menaced” the pensioner on repeated occasions over a four-month period between May 25 and September 22 last year in Bantaskine.

McMinn is accused of threatening the woman by warning he would harm her grandson if she did not continue to pay back his drugs debt.

It is alleged he extorted in excess of £600 from the OAP.

He is also accused of attempting to extort money from the pensioner’s grandson between the same dates by brandishing a knife at him, threatening that he would kill him unless he paid up, damaging his property and inducing others to attend at his address, demanding money.

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Sheriff Craig Caldwell issued the warrant after McMinn, Inchyra Place, Grangemouth, failed to appear at a procedural hearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court today (Tuesday), at which he would have been asked how he wished to plead.

Solicitor-advocate Neil Hay, who had attended to represent him, told the court: “He is not present and I don’t have any information.”