Businessman in Ali Dizaei case is 'dishonest crook'

The restaurant owner who introduced a senior Scotland Yard officer to the Iraqi businessman he is accused of framing today said he always thought the web designer was a dishonest crook, but helped him out anyway.

Sohrab Eshragi said Waab al-Baghdadi had a "bad attitude to women", was "dishonest", and had been involved in a previous fight, describing him as "a crook, basically".

But he said that despite this, he introduced him to Scotland Yard Commander Ali Dizaei, his friend of 15 years, anyway.

Mr al-Baghdadi had asked him to find him some customers for his website design business, Mr Eshragi said.

The owner of the Persian Yas restaurant in Kensington, west London, told Southwark Crown Court he allowed Mr al-Baghdadi to design his restaurant's website and suggested he create one for Dizaei.

"He had a porno website. I thought by introducing Mr Dizaei to him he might go straight."

Asked by Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, if he was making up his version of events to show Mr al-Baghdadi in a poor light and help out his friend Dizaei, Mr Eshragi said: "No sir. Nobody tells me what to do. I'm my own man. What I see, I tell.

"I always tell the truth, sir."

Dizaei, 47, and Mr al-Baghdadi, 24, rowed over money for the website when they met by chance at the restaurant on July 18, 2008.

Dizaei denies assaulting and falsely arresting Mr al-Baghdadi who he then left facing prosecution.

Asked if his comments were an attempt to slur Mr al-Baghdadi's reputation, Mr Eshragi told the jury of six men and six women he thought it was "already slurred".

"He had a bad attitude to women, he's dishonest, he's a crook basically," he said.

"His history, everybody knows he's not a good gentleman."

Mr Eshragi told the court that on the night in question he had urged Dizaei to ask Mr al-Baghdadi to leave the restaurant because he was concerned a fight may break out.

He said: "I was worried about this man. He was in a fight before and disappeared before the police arrived."

But he admitted he had not called police when Mr al-Baghdadi had returned to his restaurant after the previous fight, saying: "The police don't usually do anything."

Under cross-examination by Mr Wright, Mr Eshragi conceded he would not have wanted to do any favours for Mr al-Baghdadi but said he had always found it was better to try to get on with someone who had caused trouble rather than simply barring him from his restaurant.

Earlier, Mr Eshragi described his relationship with Dizaei as "like he's a relative" as he explained that he never usually charged the officer and his wife for their meals.