A qualified lawyer accused of a dark web plot to murder a former Aberdeen prosecutor claimed he did it to try and “shine a spotlight” on alleged crime.
Martin Ready, 41, told jurors he had no personal “ill feeling” towards 37-year-old procurator fiscal Darren Harty.
However, Ready claimed Mr Harty and his family had been involved in a pub that Ready stated was linked to money laundering, which the accused had allegedly discovered.
Ready gave evidence in his defence in the trial at the High Court in Glasgow today.
He is said to have set up and used cryptocurrency accounts before accessing a “dark” website called the Online Killers Market under the username “Harry Brown.”
Special defence of lacking criminal responsibility lodged
Instructions were made to have Mr Harty 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 Mr Harty.
Ready has pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempting to conspire with another or others to murder the fiscal.
The allegation spans between May 29 2021 and September 15 2022 at an address in North Lanarkshire.
He has lodged a special defence of lacking criminal responsibility.
Ready told jurors how he had been a commercial contracts lawyer after qualifying in 2011.
But, he gave up his job around 2019 after he became “concerned” for his safety.
This was after he had done an “asset trace” on the bank account of his social worker mother.
He claimed this showed “financial irregularities” involving a sum of £55,000.
Ready believed his mother had been blackmailed and that “information” was being passed on to criminals in his hometown of Coatbridge.
He alleged his older brother was also involved.
Court told accused had been hospitalised in psychiatric ward and claimed he was Jesus
Ready went on to claim today that it was an “open secret” in the local area that the business the Harty family ran was used by this alleged crime family to launder dirty money.
He had previously gone to the pub himself from the age of 18.
Ready described him and Mr Harty as “casual acquaintances”, but denied having any personal issues with him.
However, after Ready spoke to someone about what he allegedly discovered in his mum’s account, he claimed he was targeted during a number of incidents.
He was initially followed as he walked one night.
Ready told jurors he had to later escape from two men during an alleged abduction.
He then had to hide in undergrowth for hours from three assailants.
Jurors also heard claims he was targeted in a deliberate “insect infestation” at his home.
The trial heard he ended up at one stage in a psychiatric ward at the University Hospital Wishaw in Lanarkshire.
Police were also contacted about him concerning a “psychotic episode” and him making remarks that he was Jesus.
Ready had ‘no ill feeling’ towards Mr Harty ‘on a personal level’
Questioned by his KC Brian McConnachie why Mr Harty had been targeted, he stated he had “no ill feeling towards him on a personal level”.
Ready alleged if the killing had been carried out, it would have “shone a light on criminal activities”.
Mr McConnachie asked: “If Mr Harty’s death had happened, that would have brought about an inquiry into other matters involving serious organised crime?”
Ready answered: “That is correct.”
Ready claimed if “the assassination” had occurred, he would have “followed up” by getting a more senior member of the crime gang to “confess” to other offences.
Advocate depute Erin Campbell later questioned Ready on messages he had put on the Online Killers Market site.
In one, he described Mr Harty as a “soft target”.
Miss Campbell questioned: “Someone easier to kill than someone else?”
Ready responded: “Yes, it would mean someone who does not have a bodyguard or guns.”
Another detailed how Mr Harty was to be killed.
It stated: “Fire two rounds into target’s forehead in an execution style.”
‘I wanted to make it look like a gangland execution’
Mr Harty was also to be shot in the mouth and bottom.
The fiscal was to be followed from the pub “as this provides best strike point in darkness” with less chance of witnesses and no CCTV.
Jurors heard how the “admin” for the site replied at one stage stating they “could do the job”, but the price in question could be “too low for most hitmen”.
Miss Campbell asked him about the specific detail in the messages.
Ready replied: “I wanted to make it look like a gangland execution.”
Miss Campbell also put to him why he had not just carried out any killing himself.
Ready, who maintained he thought he was Jesus at the time, said there would have been “more risk” if he had done that.
Referring later to texts Ready exchanged with a woman, Miss Campbell suggested him reckoning he was Jesus was a “running joke” rather than a “genuine belief”.
However, he denied that was the case.
The trial before the judge Lady Hood continues.
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