A failed club promoter who lured a young entrepren

A failed club promoter who lured a young entrepreneur into a ‘DIY death chamber’ and battered him with a hammer faces a lengthy jail sentence.

Soleman Junglee, 25, owed teenager prodigy Ravi Gehlot pnds stlg 100,000 after the 18-year-old bailed him out over an Ayia Napa disco disaster.

Jealous of the youngster’s success and unable to pay back the money, former public schoolboy Junglee lay a terrifying trap for Mr Gehlot.

Junglee assembled a kit which included, a holdall containing a hammer, hacksaw and heavy duty sacks.

There were also surgical gloves, cleaning fluids, soap, mops and even cans of air freshner.

Junglee planned to batter Mr Gehlot with the hammer as a blaring radio stifled his screams.

The prosecution claimed it was his intention to kill Mr Gehlot and then dismember the body with the hacksaw place the parts in bags to be disposed of.

It was said Junglee left nothing to chance and he even had spare blades for the hacksaw in case one snapped as he went about his grim task.

Prosecutor Miss Sally Howes described the room as ‘a DIY death chamber’ and the ‘Carol Vorderman makeover from hell.

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But she told how Junglee’s plan went ‘horribly wrong’
when he managed just one glancing blow with the hammer.

Mr Gehlot managed to escape as Junglee grabbed him around the throat and attempted to strangle him.

The teenager flagged down a passing police van and officers stopped sweating Junglee as he fled from the flat with most of his kit crammed into the holdall.

But Junglee claimed he had created the room of death simply to frighten the young prodigy.

And the jury today (Mon) acquitted Junglee of attempted murder after four hours and 20 minutes of deliberation.

The six men and six women also cleared Junglee of an alternative count of inflicting wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

But Junglee was convicted of the lesser charge of unlawful wounding – a charge which carries the maximum term of just five years jail.

Judge Gerald Gordon will sentence Junglee tomorrow (Tues) morning.

The court heard Mr Gehlot began in the music business when he was just 12, setting up parties for teenagers.

‘He soon realised he was rather good at it and he could make money out of it.

By the age of 15 he had set up his own company,’ said Miss Howes.

Shortly before the attack in March this year his company KR5 had been asked to run under 18 nights for London’s legendary Ministry of Sound club.

The court heard he met Junglee when they both were involved in managing club nights at the Gas Club in Ayia Napa – one of Europe’s top rave resorts in Cyprus.

The teenager was to manage Tuesday and Friday nights while Junglee had responsibility for Thursdays.

But while the youngster did well, Junglee’s promotions were a disaster and he was left asking for hand-outs from Mr Gehlot.

By the time of the attack on March 2001 Junglee owed the teenager pnds stlg 100,000, the court heard.

When he asked for his money back Junglee would promise the cash then vanish for days on end and not answer his telephone.

On the night of March 21 this year he told Mr Gehlot to come to his home in Highgrove House, Friern Barnet, Middlesex to collect pnds stlg 20,000.

At the house he was given pnds stlg 20 by Mr Junglee’s flatmate and told to go to a flat in Orchardson Street, off the Edgeware Road, and warned not to tell anyone where he was going.

When he arrived Junglee the led him into the building and led him upstairs into the room strewn with newspapers and bin liners where he planned to batter the teenager.

‘A few seconds after entering the flat Mr Gehlot felt a blow to the back of his head,’ Miss Howes said.

‘He then turned and saw the defendant holding a hammer above his head, preparing to strike him again.

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Junglee hit him over above the cheek as the teenager managed to grab the weapon causing Junglee to lose his grip.

The attacker then grabbed him by the windpipe.

‘Mr Gehlot said it was almost as if he was trying to rip his windpipe out.

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Miss Howes claimed that ‘clearly Mr Gehlot was never meant to see the light of day again.

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In desperation the teenager shouted: ‘Please don’t kill me.

I will take my family and go away.

I don’t want my money.

He pleaded: ‘Why are you doing this to me.

I have done so much for you.

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Junglee replied: ‘You think I don’t know that? I want my life back.

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It was at this point Mr Gehlot saw the newspaper spread over the walls and floor.

‘He was later to tell police: ‘I saw paper on top of paper on top of paper.

‘I cannot remember seeing anything else in that room.

I knew he was going to kill me.

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Mr Gehlot managed to run down the stairs into the street with blood streaming down his face from the head wound.

He tried to open the rear doors of the police van shouting: ‘I have got to get in.

He’s trying to kill me.

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Police officers later saw Junglee leaving the flat but he ignored shouts for him to stop and a police inspector had to run after him.

Junglee of (11) Highgrove Close House, Friern Barnet, Middlesex, denied attempted murder.

He made no comment in police interviews but claimed in court Mr Gehlot was a ‘fantasist’ and he in fact had bailed him out.

Junglee said the DIY death chamber was just part of a macabre ‘game’ and that he only wanted to ‘scare’ Mr Gehlot.

‘It was more or less like a game I was playing in constructing this scenario,’ he said.

He showed no trace of emotion today (Mon) as the verdicts were announced.

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