UDA murder plot accused Martin Hughes denied knowing 'targets'

Former UDA leader Johnny Adair was the alleged target of a murder plot

One of four men accused of plotting to kill two former UDA leaders in Scotland told police he had never heard of Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair or Sam McCrory.

The High Court in Glasgow was told that Martin Hughes made the remark to police after being detained on suspicion of terrorist activities in October 2013.

It also heard Mr Hughes' car was bugged as he and two other co-accused drove to where Mr McCrory lived.

Mr Hughes, Anton Duffy, John Gorman and Paul Sands deny conspiracy to murder.

The court has already heard that Mr Adair and his best friend Mr McCrory were both former members of prohibited Loyalist terror organisations the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and its paramilitary wing the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF).

They were involved in the Good Friday agreement in 1998 which brought peace to Northern Ireland, and both have been living in Ayrshire for a number of years.

Recorded conversations

On Tuesday, the court heard from Det Con Raymond Thomson

He was asked by prosecutor Paul Kearney: "Mr Hughes was asked if he knew Johnny Adair and said no, is that correct?" and replied: "That's correct."

Mr Kearney then said: "He was then asked if he knew Sam McCrory and said he didn't, is that correct?" and Det Con Thomson said: "That's correct."

The court heard that after a number of interviews Mr Hughes was told that police had covertly recorded conversations at co-accused Mr Duffy's home.

A bugging device was also put in Mr Hughes' Mercedes Jeep and recorded the conversations when he and Mr Duffy drove to Ayrshire on 1 October 2013 and were were joined there by Mr Sands.

Mr Sands directed them to where Mr McCrory lived and they were heard having discussions which included making remarks about "the big fella" and "there are so many places you could hit this guy".

Under cross-examination by QC Gordon Jackson, it was revealed that his client Mr Hughes was a Royalist sympathiser.

'Quite sinister'

Mr Jackson said to Det Con Thomson: "Mr Hughes told you he was a working man and had no convictions," and he replied: Yes."

The QC added: "He also told you about him being a Royalist sympathiser. He said he was sympathetic to the job these people were doing," and Det Con Thomson replied: "Yes, that's right."

Mr Jackson described the bugged conversations as "quite sinister" and added Mr Hughes never instigated these conversations and just tends to put his "tuppence-worth in from time to time," and Det Con Thomson replied: "Yes, that's right."

The QC went on: "What we can't know is what Mr Hughes was thinking. We don't know if he's thinking this is a great plan or this is a lot of rubbish. The only person who can tell us what's going on in his head is him," and the police officer agreed.

Mr Duffy, 39, Mr Hughes, 36, Mr Sands, 31, and Mr Gorman, 58 , deny conspiring to murder Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair and Sam McCrory .

Mr Duffy and Mr Gorman also deny being part of a plan to murder the governor of Barlinnie jail, Derek McGill, in a car bomb attack.

Three other men - Craig Convery, 37, Gary Convery, 34, and Gordon Brown, 29 - deny organised crime charges.

The trial before judge Lady Scott continues.