An accountant was brutally robbed and then taken o

An accountant was brutally robbed and then taken on a terrifying
car journey by an old ‘friend’ who believed he was an informer.

Plasterer William Toner, 22, is said to have later told
detectives that he was going to give victim Rajinda Chadha
‘concrete boots’ – and throw him in the Thames.

After a ten hour drinking binge, Toner, originally from Paisley
near Glasgow, claimed that his old mate Mr Chadha, 33, had informed
authorities of his brother’s alleged fraudulent dole claim,
Snaresbrook Crown Court was told.

Toner, of Landsdowne Road, Seven Kings, pleaded guilty to
robbing Mr Chadha of pnds stlg 40 and assaulting him causing
him bodily harm.

He also admitted reckless driving.

But Toner’s not guilty pleas to charges of kidnap and burglary of
offices below the victim’s flat were accepted by the Crown and allowed
to remain on the file.

Passing sentence Judge Nicholas Medawar, QC, simply told him:
‘You have a bad record, you drink alcohol to excess and in drink
you behave badly and hit people.

Yet again you drank too much.

‘
Judge Medawar jailed Toner for three years concurrent on the
charges of robbery and assault.

Toner received a consecutive four month sentence for
reckless driving.

In addition he was banned from driving for two years.

The court had heard how at about 5am on May 25 last year, Mr
Chadha – who lived above offices including one of his own in Goodmayes
Road, Ilford – was awoken by the sound of breaking glass.

He saw Mr Chadha, who he recognised as a friend, said Mr Tudor
Owen, prosecuting.

‘But then Toner grabbed his neck with both hands and tried to
throttle him,’ continued counsel.

Toner was screaming about Mr Chadha being responsible for
‘shopping’ his brother to the DHSS in relation to a dole fraud,
explained Mr Owen.

After some time he released his grip and then punched the victim
in the face causing bruising and a nose bleed.

Mr Chadha was unsuccessful in trying to calm Toner down and was
taken into his office and forced to hand over about pnds stlg 40.

The victim was then forcibly escorted to his nearby Jaguar
and driven by Toner at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour
to Chelsea.

At one stage the crazed driver stopped at a petrol station but Mr
Chadha did not call for help ‘because he was simply too terrified,’
said Mr Owen.

‘The Crown say that when angry Toner is a force to be reckoned
with,’ added counsel.

Toner was seen by police patrol cars driving through Chelsea
streets at high speed through red lights and was chased and eventually
trapped in Manson Place.

At Chelsea Police Station he was heard talking to his
brother on the phone about ‘battering’ Mr Chadha and being on the way
to dumping him in the Thames.

And later he told police: ‘I was going to give him some
concrete boots, put him in an oil drum and throw him in the Thames.

‘
Mr Philip Singer, defending, said that Toner, who had finished a
ten hour long drinking session ‘quite literally stumbled upon the
scene of a burglary’ and initially called to Mr Chadha to check all
was well.

‘On previous occasions they had been drinking partners,’
continued counsel.

Mr Singer told the court that they had an argument although it
was not clear whether it was about Toner’s brother or not, adding:
‘Toner was befuddled with drink.

‘He accepts his behaviour on this occasion was disgraceful and
wholly unacceptable.

‘When in drink he tends to flare up.

‘
ENDS