Glasgow High Court juror jailed after taking bribe
62-year-old Catherine Leahy from Springboig was the jury spokesperson in a case where the accused was acquitted in 2016.
A Glasgow High Court juror hs been jailed after it emerged she had taken a bribe during a money laundering trial.
62-year-old Catherine Leahy from Springboig was the spokesperson as alleged drug dealer Graham Clarke and others were acquitted in 2016.
Former classroom assistant Leahy was found guilty of accepting an “advantage” to perform her task as a juror “improperly.”
The Crown may now seek a retrial of that case.
On Tuesday at the High Court in Glasgow, Judge Lord Turnbull told Leahy: “You took advantage of your public responsibility of jury service and you took a bribe.
“This is conduct which strikes at the heart of the justice system. It is matched in its gravity by its rareness. It is obvious that for such a serious offence only a custodial sentence can be imposed.”
Prosecutor Iain McSporran QC said the Crown's position is that four amounts of cash paid in to Leahy's Santander account between April 19 and June 2, 2016, was bribe money.
These sums of £300, £1,000, £1,200 and £330 amounted to £2,830.
Leahy denied that she had been bribed saying in evidence “Absolutely not.” She claimed the money came from a cheque for £7,446.77 she received from a British Shipbuilders and menage money.
But, the jury did not believe her and after deliberating for three hours found her guilty by majority.
The court heard that the day after the verdict in the Clarke trial the procurator fiscals' office received a tip-off that members of the jury may have been bribed.
A probe into all the jurors' finances was ordered at the highest level after suspicion fell on Leahy.
Her Glasgow home was bugged from September 19 to 30, 2016.
The probe into Leahy's finances was led by Detective Inspector Graeme Everest of the organised crime and counter terrorism financial investigations unit.
High level discussions, including a meeting between the Lord Advocate and Lord President, led to the decision been taken to bug the house Leahy shared with her 22-year-old son Joseph, who was originally on trial with his mother. He walked free when the charges against him were dropped.
The court heard that trawl of jurors' bank accounts led to one person – Leahy.
Thirty-one conversations between Leahy and her son were recorded by the hidden bug in their home.
At one point Mr Leahy is heard to say: “Mum it wasn't just you that got bribed so that now when they come to you, you're a step ahead.”
His mother then said: “There is nothing that can link you with them.”
Leahy is also heard saying that she hopes her son's car was not bugged and then adds: “That night I went down there nobody could have seen me.”
She served as a juror in the trial of Graham Clarke, his wife Lindsay and others. All the charges against Mr Clarke were not proven and his wife was convicted of mortgage fraud.
The trial ran from November 2, 2015 to April 14, 2016. One juror was dismissed during the trial.
Leahy denied acting improperly as as a juror and taking 'a bung.” and claimed that when she heard rumours of jury nobbling she treated it as a joke.
The court heard that Leahy did not have a lot of money and had to work to a strict budget.
The court was told at the time of the trial she had her salary as a classroom assistant and a widow's pension.
As she was led away to the cells Leahy blew a kiss to her son Joseph, who was sitting in the public benches.
Lord Turnbull deferred sentence until next month for background reports.
The judge told the jury: “This has been a most unusual case. I'm not personally aware of a previous case of a juror taking a bribe in the course of a trial.