A father whose son is accused of a mugging broke down in court while giving evidence.
Mark Izraelov appeared overcome with emotion when questioned about Samuel Brown who alleges that Mr Izraelov’s son, Yacov, robbed him of his mobile phone and coat.
Wearing a black kippah Mr Izraelov told the court that Mr Brown used to come to their family home two or three times a day, sometimes every day, and would have Friday night Shabbat dinner with them.
Fifty-year-old Mr Izraelov had to pause for a drink of water and to take some tissues on hearing his defence lawyer Jeffrey Israel say that Samuel Brown denied knowing him.
Mr Izraelov said: “It is very painful to see it and hear all that. I was like a father figure for him.”
He said he often welcomed people to his house in Finchley. “I know Sammy is not in touch with his parents. I like people like that to come to my house and talk about the Bible,” he said.
Mr Izraelov told the jury that he had arranged a personal loan of £15,000 from his bank after receiving anonymous calls while in Israel asking for money, which he assumed was a blackmail attempt to have the charges dropped against his son.
The jury was twice shown CCTV footage of an alleged dispute in Sami’s kosher restaurant in Edgware, in which it is alleged Mr Izraelov threatened to kill Mr Brown .
Prosecuting lawyer Iestyn Morgan challenged Mr Izraelov: “You had with you a statement you wanted to use to threaten him. You are trying to threaten him. You are being aggressive.”
“No”, responded Mr Izraelov.
Mark Izraelov denies charges of intimidation and perverting the course of justice.
The court heard how Yacov Izraelov claimed he could not have performed the alleged mugging because keeping Shabbat meant he did not leave the house on Saturdays.
Mr Morgan read from a transcript of Yacov Izraelov's interview with a police officer over the alleged robbery, in which he said: "I am Jewish. It is Saturday so I don't drive, I don't walk.
"If I'm not allowed to drive I don't leave my house. If my car is not leaving the house then I am not."
Mr Izraelov, 20, of Finchley, denies charges of robbery and perverting the course of justice.
A third defendant Edvin Banda, 22, of Kingsbury, north-west London, pleaded not guilty to robbery.
The trial continues.
