Jail for ringleader of staged doorstep gun threat plot in Leeds
The boyfriend of a woman who was involved in a bitter divorce dispute has been jailed for plotting to frame her estranged husband in a bizarre staged gun threat.
Sabu Singh's girlfriend Hardeep Sangha was at home in Shadwell, Leeds, when two masked men turned up on her doorstep apparently to threaten her brother, Inderjeet Gosal.
CCTV captured the moment they brandished what appeared to be a long-barrelled firearm and told Gosal: “Stay out of Jonny’s business, stay out of your sister’s case."
"Jonny" was Hardeep's estranged husband Harpal Sangha.
Mr Sangha was arrested on suspicion of witness intimidation on 1 August 2020, the day after the apparent gun threat.
However, telltale laughter on the CCTV footage triggered police suspicions about his involvement in the incident.
Detectives identified the gunmen as 16-year-old Kane Allen and Matias Jozio, aged 17.
Telephone evidence showed Allen in contact with Sabu Singh on the day of the incident and Singh in contact with Hardeep Sangha and the Gosals.
Singh was shown to be the main orchestrator of the plot to incriminate Harpal Sangha, police said.
He was arrested in September 2020, along with Hardeep Sangha, Inderjeet Gosal and Gosal's wife, Harpreet, who had also been involved in the plot.
An audio recording recovered from Inderjeet Gosal’s phone showed those involved in the plot meeting in Oakwood to discuss their plans.
Singh gave no comment during his interviews after initially denying any knowledge of the gun threat incident.
But all six of those involved were charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Singh, Allen and Jozio also charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage in relation to an attack on a shop.
All but Singh were sentenced at Leeds Crown Court in August this year.
The 49-year-old, of Sandhill Lane, Moortown, has now been jailed for three years and seven months.
Det Ch insp Michael Herbert, of Leeds District CID, said: “The criminal use of firearms is something the police will always treat extremely seriously, and a report of a man being threatened at gunpoint on the doorstep of his family home was a real cause for concern that attracted a significant police response and investigation.
“Those involved clearly underestimated the level of focus that we apply to a serious incident such as this.
“We hope the successful outcome of this case will serve as a clear reminder to people who think they can make false reports to police to target their enemies without the truth being uncovered.”
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