Scottish crime gang jailed for a total of 87 years

A major crime gang branded the ‘most sophisticated’ in Scotland has been jailed for a total of 87 years.

The nine-strong mob were locked up for their dealings in drugs, firearms, serious violence and dirty money.

The list of crimes included the ‘merciless’ torture of a man over an unpaid cocaine debt and a huge arsenal of weapons found hidden in a car. 

Members of the clan returned to the High Court in Glasgow having earlier pled guilty to various charges. Clockwise from top left: Gerard Docherty, Steven McCardle, Francis Mulligan, David Sell, Barry O’Neill and Martyn Fitzsimmons.

The court heard officers seized more than 1,000 items including encrypted mobile phones, counter-surveillance equipment, automatic pistols, machine guns and a grenade and around £1.6 million in cash.

Members of the clan returned to the High Court in Glasgow having earlier pled guilty to various charges.

The nine-man gang included Mark Richardson, Gerard Docherty, Steven McCardle, Francis Mulligan, David Sell, Barry O’Neill, Michael Bowman, Anthony Woods and Martyn Fitzsimmons.

David Sell, 50, was handed the biggest jail-term – 15 years and eight months – for his part in the abduction and torture of a known drug dealer. 

Lord Beckett praised the authorities’ ‘extraordinary ingenuity, courage and commitment’ in catching the gang. 

Stolen high-performance cars - including two £85,000 Audi RS6 motors as well as a £30,000 Volkswagen Golf - were used as 'getaway' vehicles 

Stolen high-performance cars – including two £85,000 Audi RS6 motors as well as a £30,000 Volkswagen Golf – were used as ‘getaway’ vehicles 

The nine returned to the dock again amid tightened security with armed officers patrolling the court.

Prosecutor Alex Prentice QC told a hearing in December the crime gang was ‘the most sophisticated encountered by Police Scotland’.

They had been caught during a number of large-scale probes.

The gang also had 'distinctive encrypted' mobile phones to communicate as well as fake facial hair and wigs to use as disguises

The gang also had ‘distinctive encrypted’ mobile phones to communicate as well as fake facial hair and wigs to use as disguises

Mr Prentice said: ‘They are at the top of the chain in terms of drugs transactions in Scotland and the UK as a whole.’

‘The firepower at the disposal of this crime group is unprecedented in terms of the history of organised crime in Scotland.’ 

The court heard how Robert Allan became a target after he could not pay a 30,000 drug debt.

The court heard officers seized more than 1,000 items including encrypted mobile phones, counter-surveillance equipment, automatic pistols, machine guns and a grenade and around £1.6 million in cash 

The court heard officers seized more than 1,000 items including encrypted mobile phones, counter-surveillance equipment, automatic pistols, machine guns and a grenade and around £1.6 million in cash 

He had earlier met with Barry O’Neill in Glasgow in connection with a large cocaine haul.

Mr Allan later fled Scotland when he was unable to stump up payment – but was tracked to Barnsley, Yorkshire in March 2015.

David Sell turned up at his door with two other armed men before ending up horrifically attacked.

Prosecuting Mr Prentice said: 'The firepower at the disposal of this crime group is unprecedented in terms of the history of organised crime in Scotland'

Prosecuting Mr Prentice said: ‘The firepower at the disposal of this crime group is unprecedented in terms of the history of organised crime in Scotland’

Mr Allan was initially driven hostage to a industrial unit in Fauldhouse, Midlothian,

Sell acted as a ‘guard’ in between the victim being brutally beaten.

This included him being whipped with a thick chain, smacked with a metal bar and left with a broken leg after he was battered with a 14-pound sledgehammer.

With other men now on the scene, the victim was ordered to strip and sprayed with a bleach.

The court heard Mr Allan stood ‘naked, wet and humiliated’.

A hooded Mr Allan was then taken to a rural spot near East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire.

Sell was not present – but two of the other men hauled him from a car and pinned him down.

Firearms, ammunition and a grenade were discovered in a concealed compartment at the back of a Honda car

Firearms, ammunition and a grenade were discovered in a concealed compartment at the back of a Honda car

Mr Prentice: ‘Robert Allan was then shot three times – twice in one knee and then the other.’

Mr Allan was then dragged to the top of a hill and ordered to roll down. 

He had a host of serious injuries including gunshot wounds to his knees. Mr Allan still needs a crutch to help him walk. 

Sell admitted in court to being involved in abducting and assaulting Mr Allan to his permanent disfigurement and impairment as well as to the danger of his life.

O’Neill meantime pled guilty to being concerned in cocaine dealing.

Police also focused on premises and cars used by the mob.

These were for the ‘concealing, packaging and transporting’ of cocaine, cash and firearms.

Mr Prentice: ‘This was the capacity in which Michael Bowman worked for the group and in doing so facilitated their criminal activities.

‘Anthony Woods and Francis Mulligan were both involved in these activities.’

A grenade was among the cache of weapons discovered in a concealed compartment of a car

A grenade was among the cache of weapons discovered in a concealed compartment of a car

Premises across Scotland including Heatheryknowe Farm near Glasgow and Hill Street in Wishaw were raided.

The gang even had the cheek to get a ‘full rates rebate’ at some.

Stolen high-performance cars – including two £85,000 Audi RS6 motors as well as a £30,000 Volkswagen Golf – were used as ‘getaway’ vehicles.

They also had ‘distinctive encrypted’ mobile phones to communicate as well as fake facial hair and wigs to use as disguises.

The hearing was told the group used ‘counter surveillance and anti surveillance tactics’ including specialist ‘signal jammers’. 

Detectives made a discovery of a massive haul of deadly firearms at a lock-up in Glasgow’s Anniesland in early 2017.

They were hidden in a ‘engineered compartment’ of the rear bumper of a Honda CRV car.

The consignment included Glocks, a Beretta, sub machine guns, a grenade and bullets. 

The nine face a further hearing this week as lawyers argue whether the gang should each be hit with Serious Crime Prevention Orders.

The move is designed to tackle the country’s organised criminal gangs.

What sentence was given to each of the gangsters? 

David Sell, 50, was handed the biggest jail-term – 15 years and eight months – for his part in the abduction and torture of a known drug dealer.

Barry O’Neill, 37, was locked up for seven years and four months for cocaine supply.

Anthony Woods, 44, got 11 years and one month after he pled guilty to having roles in ‘serious organised crime’.

Francis Mulligan, 41, was jailed for eight years and 324 days while Michael Bowman, 30, was given seven years.

Gerard Docherty, 42, was locked up for 10 years and six months after a shooting at a house in Edinburgh.

Mark Richardson, 30, was hit with a eight year, nine month sentence and Steven McArdle, 33, was given seven years and 100 days after they were each caught with Glock handguns.

Finally, ex-army war veteran Martyn Fitzsimmons, 37, was locked up for 10 and a half years for having a similar weapon as well as ammo and 36,000 of dirty money. 

 

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