Essex Muslim leader in court over kidnap claim

A Muslim community leader claimed he was abducted by members of the British National Party, a court has heard.

Noor Ramjanally, 36, of Loughton, Essex, has denied attempting to pervert the course of justice by falsely telling police he had been abducted.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard Mr Ramjanally had complained of having accelerant poured through his letterbox prior to being "kidnapped".

The court heard the local council spent £1,300 improving security at his home.

A new door was fitted to his council flat and police installed a hidden camera, a local authority official told the court.

But prosecutor Matthew Gowan said camera footage revealed no sign of the "two burly men" Mr Ramjanally claimed had snatched him at knife point last August.

Mr Ramjanally had been taken to a local DIY store by taxi on the day he claimed to have been kidnapped, jurors were told.

Mr Ramjanally is not in court, is not legally represented and is being tried in his absence.

Jurors heard that he denied attempting to pervert the course of justice, by falsely telling police he had been abducted, at an earlier hearing.