Balbir Singh Sandhu, who had sat at court in Wolverhampton for six years

magistrate who told a businessman friend that he could make a court case against him "go away" has been jailed for 18 months.Balbir Singh Sandhu, who had sat at court in Wolverhampton for six years, told the businessman he knew he was being prosecuted over alleged immigration crimes.Sandhu, 62, told the victim he could face a huge fine and even go to prison.Amjad Mawaz, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said: "He had access to where the files were kept. He effectively said that he could make it disappear if he would pay him and his associates a sum of £45,000."
The pair met to discuss the plan and the victim then began recording his telephone conversations with the magistrate.He eventually told police, who arrested Sandhu as he arrived for another meeting. In his car they found a document that said the file had been destroyed.Sandhu was initially charged with blackmail but pleaded guilty to fraud.Jas Mann, defending, said Sandhu's "stupidity has cost him everything".
"He has lost his standing as a magistrate and also his standing in the community," he said. "He is doomed for the future to walk with his head bowed. He was a prominent member of the Sikh community."Sandhu told police that he had wanted to teach the victim a lesson and would not have taken the money.Judge Robert Orme described his actions as a "blatant abuse of a position of authority and trust" and said the fraud had been carried out in a "blatant, prolonged and manipulative" way."Your fall from grace is likely to be all the greater having regard to the pedestal upon which the local community appear to have placed you. You are a prominent member of the Sikh community, a teacher and a highly respected member of the temple."