Scots prosecutor stunned by conspiracy to murder accusation

A Scots prosecutor claimed he was stunned that a former customer at his family's pub planned to assassinate him.

Darren Harty, 37, gave evidence today at the trial of Martin Ready, 41, at the High Court in Glasgow.

The dark web

Ready is charged with attempting to conspire to murder Mr Harty by teaming up with others via the dark web to target the lawyer.

It is alleged to have occurred between May 29, 2021 and September 15, 2022 at an address in North Lanarkshire.

A joint minute of agreed evidence stated that Ready set up and used cryptocurrency accounts at the time.

The document says Read accessed a "dark" website called the Online Killers Market under the username "Harry Brown."

The joint minute says instructions were made to have the lawyer shot and killed.

A total of 0.2913 Bitcoin - valued at £5,071 - was transferred to the administrator of the Online Killers Market "as payment" for the "assassination" of the Mr Harty.

Special defence

Ready pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempting to conspire with another or others to murder Mr Harty.

He has lodged a special defence of lacking criminal responsibilty.

The court heard from Mr Harty who claimed that he knew Ready as a customer from his family's pub in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, where he worked before starting university in 2014.

He stated that he was familiar with Ready because he did not drink alcohol, but instead drank coffee.

Mr Harty told jurors that he became aware of a police investigation into Ready in September 2022.

Prosecutor Erin Campbell asked Mr Harty if he was aware that it was a conspiracy to murder and he replied: "Yes."

Miss Campbell then asked the witness if he knew any reason why this might be and Mr Harty replied: "None whatsoever."

A shock

Miss Campbell: "How did you feel?"

Mr Harty: "Stunned, shocked, it happened on a works night out. It wasn't something I was expecting.

"I was on a works night out when the police came to me. I was completely bewildered with the idea."

Jurors were told that Ready dowloaded an image two weeks before of Mr Harty from the internet onto his phone.

Brian McConnachie KC, defending, asked Mr Harty if he saw Ready at the pub between 2014 and 2022.

He replied: "It is possible. We were not friends, it's not something that sticks in my mind seeing him on previous occasions. He may have been around."

The advocate later asked if he knew two named families from Coatbridge which he replied: "Yes."

Mr McConnachie said: "Have you been involved in money laundering for the families?"

Mr Harty replied: "Absolutely not."

The trial continues before Judge Lady Hood.

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