Murderer who plotted ‘revenge’ gun attack on prison officer jailed for 10 years
Robert Paterson sought revenge on a prison guard he believed 'left him to die'
A convicted murderer who ordered a revenge gun attack on a prison guard has been jailed for ten-and-a-half years.
Robert Paterson, 45, was serving a life sentence at HMP Edinburgh when he claimed to be having a heart attack after swallowing seven bags of cocaine.
The guard was suspicious of Paterson as he had planned a previous escape attempt in 2012 that involved being taken to hospital.
At a sentencing hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday, judge Lord Harrow heard how the guard saw Paterson swallow a sim card he had just removed from a mobile phone.
Prison staff were also surprised to see an ambulance arrive when none of them had ordered it.
Paramedics kept Paterson under surveillance at the jail before sending the inmate to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh shortly before 8am.
Once at hospital, Paterson was given a CT scan and underwent surgery to remove seven plastic bags of cocaine from his stomach.
The court heard how prison officials became increasingly concerned about Paterson’s behaviour and in early 2023, police started bugging his cell.
Paterson was recorded discussing a plan to attack the prison officer and "intervened before an assault had been attempted".
Lord Harrow told Paterson: "It is clear your proper purpose was conspiring to commit a serious crime."
He is currently serving a life sentence for murder and is not due to become eligible for parole until 2027.