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"The Trial" BeginsBBC Gunman 'ordered QPR boss to quit' A football club director was ordered to quit at gunpoint after a boardroom battle with a rival, a court has heard.
Gianni Paladini was approached by fellow Queens Park Rangers director David Morris as they prepared to watch a match, Blackfriars Crown Court heard.
But he then found himself surrounded by men who forced him to write out a resignation letter, jurors were told.
Seven men, including Mr Morris, deny conspiracy to blackmail, false imprisonment and firearm possession.
On the day of a home game between QPR and Sheffield Utd, Mr Morris asked Mr Paladini for "a word", Blackfriars Crown Court was told.
This is like something out of a gangster film Prosecutor David Williams QC
But Mr Paladini found himself surrounded by "heavies" and being shouted at, slapped and punched until he complied with their demands, prosecutor David Williams QC said.
Mr Paladini owned a 14.7% stake in the club at the time, and was asked to resign from the board of directors and surrender his shares, it was claimed.
"He had no means of escape and terrified for his safety did as he was told," Mr Williams told jurors.
"I don't know whether some of you watch television and see The Sopranos.
"This is like something out of a gangster film.
"It was against this scenario that Gianni Paladini was forced to write his own letter of resignation."
Armed police burst into Mr Morris's executive box at the Loftus Road ground, shortly after half-time in the game with Sheffield United, Blackfriars Crown Court was told.
Mr Morris, 50, is standing trial alongside Andy Baker, Barry Powell, Aaron Lacey, John McFarlane, David Davenport and Michael Reynolds
It is alleged that Mr Baker was a security consultant who provided the "muscle" - allegedly the other five defendants. The trial continues.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4972672.stmREUTERS - QPR boardroom scene like gangster movie, court Told
May 4, 2006
LONDON, May 4 (Reuters) - Queens Park Rangers chairman Gianni Paladini was threatened with a gun in a boardroom battle that resembled a scene out of gangster movie, a court heard on Thursday.
Paladini, 58, was forced to write out a letter of resignation and to sign two documents surrendering his shares after being confronted by "hired muscle" during a match against Sheffield United, London's Blackfriars Crown Court was told.
David Williams QC, prosecuting, told the court: "He was shouted at, slapped and punched by the group until he complied. He had no means of escape and terrified for his safety did as he was told."
Seven men deny blackmail, false imprisonment and possession of a firearm or imitation firearm on August 13 last year at QPR's home ground, Loftus Road. They include 50-year-old club director David Morris and Andrew Baker, 39, from Somerset.
Opening the case Williams told the jury: "I don't know if you watch the Sopranos -- it was like something out of gangster movie.
"The case involves an attempt to coerce a majority shareholder of the famous West London football club Queens Park Rangers into resigning his position on the Board of Directors and to surrender his shares.
"However, this was no boardroom battle at a football club of the type which you might be familiar from the business or sports pages of the newspapers.
"Quite literally, a gun was produced and possibly held to the head of Gianni Paladini, who then owned a 14.7 per cent stake in the club.
"At the dictation of David Morris, a co-director of the club, he was forced to write out a letter of resignation and to sign two documents. To ensure that he did so he was intimidated by the presence of `hired muscle' provided by Baker.
"This all took place on Saturday August 13 last year -- QPR were playing at home against Sheffield United.
"Shortly before kick off Morris and Mr Paladini were both in the Chairman's suite on the second floor in the South Africa Road stand.
"Officials from both QPR and Sheffield United were enjoying the pre-match hospitality. Mr Paladini arrived at the ground with his daughter Kate, his son Stephen and grandson Gianluca.
ENTRY BARRED
"David Morris asked if he could have a word with Paladini and the two men went up another flight of stairs to the Chief Executive's Office to speak privately.
"Within minutes a group of around six men burst into the room including Baker.
"One of the group -- Baker -- sat next to Paladini, another stood immediately behind him. Others filled the room and took up positions which would have left Mr Paladini in no doubt of their intentions.
"A gun was produced -- real or imitation -- and was pointed at Mr Paladini before being placed on the table in front of him.
"From the rear he could feel something being pushed to the back of his head. He was never in a position to see if that was a gun or not but understandably feared that it was.
"It was against this scenario that Gianni Paladini was forced to write his own letter of resignation. He was shouted at, slapped and punched by the group until he complied.
"He had no means of escape and, terrified for his safety, did as he was told."
Officials were barred entry, including the then QPR Chairman Bill Power. Having signed, Paladini was told to leave with his family and never return, being paid for his shares later directly into his bank account.
The hearing continues.
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=footballNews&storyid=2006-05-04T122638Z_01_L04544719_RTRIDST_0_SPORT-SOCCER-QPR-COURT.XML&src=rssSPORTING LIFE
QPR DIRECTOR QUIT AT 'GUNPOINT'The boardroom at QPR turned into "something out of a gangster film" when a director was ordered to quit at gunpoint, a court has been told.
Gianni Paladini was asked if he could "have a word" by fellow director David Morris as the men prepared to watch QPR play a home game.
But he soon found himself surrounded by hired thugs and forced to write out a resignation letter, London's Blackfriars Crown Court was told.
David Williams QC, prosecuting, told a jury: "I don't know whether some of you watch television and see The Sopranos. This is like something out of a gangster film.
"It was against this scenario that Gianni Paladini was forced to write his own letter of resignation.
"He was shouted at, slapped and punched by the group until he complied. He had no means of escape and terrified for his safety did as he was told."
Mr Williams added: "It wasn't the sort of share or boardroom struggle that you might expect in business papers or newspapers.
"Quite literally, a gun was produced and possibly another held to the head of Gianni Paladini."
At the time of the incident at Loftus Road on August 13 last year, Mr Paladini owned a 14.7% stake in the club, the court heard.
Armed officers burst into Morris' executive box shortly after half-time in the game with Sheffield United and arrested him along with fellow defendants Andy Baker, Barry Powell, Aaron Lacey and John McFarlane.
In the executive box they found a screwed up piece of paper apparently written by Mr Paladini in shaky handwriting as well as two bundles of cash totalling £7,000 which the Crown suggested were "wages for the heavies' day work".
Earlier, two other defendants David Davenport and Michael Reynolds were arrested walking away from the ground.
Mr Williams said Baker was a security consultant who provided "muscle" for Morris, consisting of the other five defendants.
All seven deny conspiracy to blackmail, false imprisonment and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear or violence.
Baker, 40, is from Somerset; Morris, 50, is from Buckinghamshire; Powell, 34, is from Middlesex; Lacey, 36, is from Watford; McFarlane, 39, is from Middlesex; Davenport, 38, is from Buckinghamshire; and Reynolds, 45, is from north London.
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/06/05/04/manual_132429.html&TEAMHD=soccerDAILY MAIL--QPR director 'told to quit at gunpoint'A boardroom battle at a Championship football team turned into "something out of a gangster film" when a club director was ordered to quit at gunpoint by a rival, a court heard today.
Gianni Paladini was asked if he could "have a word" by fellow director David Morris as the men prepared to watch their team, Queens Park Rangers, play a home game.
But he soon found himself surrounded by hired thugs and forced to write out a resignation letter, London's Blackfriars Crown Court was told.
David Williams QC, prosecuting, told a jury: "I don't know whether some of you watch television and see The Sopranos. This is like something out of a gangster film.
"It was against this scenario that Gianni Paladini was forced to write his own letter of resignation.
"He was shouted at, slapped and punched by the group until he complied. He had no means of escape and terrified for his safety did as he was told."
Mr Williams added: "It wasn't the sort of share or boardroom struggle that you might expect in business papers or newspapers.
"Quite literally, a gun was produced and possibly another held to the head of Gianni Paladini."
At the time of the incident at QPR's Loftus Road ground on August 13 last year, Mr Paladini owned a 14.7 per cent stake in the club, the court heard.
While he was being held, the court heard, club chairman Bill Power who was aware that "something untoward" was occurring, went to find out what was happening but was blocked by a group of men who claimed to be acting "on the chairman's orders".
Mr Power told them: "I am the f****** chairman", but he was still not allowed to pass.
The court heard that Mr Paladini who had been asked to quit his position on the board of directors and surrender his shares, eventually managed to break free from his captors and ran screaming from them.
A member of catering staff was said to have called out of an open window to alert the police. Armed officers burst into Morris's executive box shortly after half-time in the game with Sheffield United and arrested him along with fellow defendants Andy Baker, Barry Powell, Aaron Lacey and John McFarlane.
In the executive box they found a screwed up piece of paper apparently written by Mr Paladini in shaky handwriting as well as two bundles of cash totalling £7,000 which the Crown suggested were "wages for the heavies' day work".
Earlier, two other defendants David Davenport and Michael Reynolds were arrested walking away from the ground.
Mr Williams said Baker was a security consultant who provided "muscle" for Morris, consisting of the other five defendants.
All seven deny conspiracy to blackmail, false imprisonment and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear or violence.
Baker, 40, is from Somerset; Morris, 50, is from Buckinghamshire; Powell, 34, is from Middlesex; Lacey, 36, is from Watford; McFarlane, 39, is from Middlesex; Davenport, 38, is from Buckinghamshire; and Reynolds, 45, is from north London.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=385118&in_page_id=1770
