Jury considers verdict in trial of man accused of plot to kill lawyer

The jury has been sent out in the trial of a man accused of plotting to kill a prosecutor.

Martin Ready, 41, denies charges of attempting to conspire to murder Darren Harty, 37, between May 29 2021 and September 15 2022 by setting up cryptocurrency accounts, using a site on the dark web, paying £5,071.24 in Bitcoin, and instructing Mr Harty be shot and where he could be found.

Ready has lodged a special defence of lacking criminal responsibility during a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

The court has heard the men knew each other from a pub in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, owned by Mr Harty’s family.

Giving evidence, Ready claimed he believed he was Jesus in autumn 2021, and suffered a relapse in January 2022.

He admitted he knew murder was illegal but told the court he believed his actions would expose organised crime.

Ready said he chose Mr Harty because of his connection with the pub, rather than due to personal issues, the court heard.

Defending, Brian McConnachie KC said: “From your point of view, what would that achieve?”

Ready said: “I felt that if Darren had been killed it would turn on his links to organised crime.”

Prosecutor Erin Campbell said: “Can I suggest that you thinking you were Jesus was a running joke?”

Ready said: “No.”

He said: “At the time, I genuinely believed I was Jesus and that the actions I took were to expose the criminality I had been subjected to.”

Ms Campbell said: “At the time you were on (the dark web) you took steps to conceal your identity. You arranged a third party to do it. You considered issues such as alibi and a point with few witnesses which was not covered by CCTV. You knew you were asking for someone to be murdered.

“Murder is illegal.”

Ready said: “I knew murder is illegal, that is correct. At the time I was genuinely delusional and believed this was the right course of action.”

Judge Lady Hood said: “In this case the conspiracy the accused is alleged to have attempted is conspiracy to murder Darren Harty.”

She said the jury would need to be “satisfied there was a positive move to commit a crime”, and referred to the special defence of lacking criminal responsibility and if Ready was “unable to appreciate the nature or wrongfulness of his conduct” due to a mental disorder.

She said: “The accused says he has the burden of proving he was not responsible for his actions due to suffering from a mental disorder.”

The trial continues.