The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Lawyer shocked by ‘dark web plot’ to murder him
A former Aberdeen prosecutor was “stunned” upon learning that a former customer at his family’s pub allegedly planned to assassinate him, a trial has heard.
Darren Harty, 37, gave evidence yesterday in the trial of 41-year-old Martin Ready at the High Court in Glasgow.
Ready is charged with attempting to conspire to murder Mr Harty by teaming up with others via the dark web to target the lawyer.
It is alleged to have occurred between May 29 2021 and September 15 2022 at an address in North Lanarkshire.
A joint minute of agreed evidence stated that Ready set up and used cryptocurrency accounts.
The document claimed Read accessed a “dark” website called the Online Killers Market under the username “Harry Brown”.
The joint minute said instructions were made to have the lawyer 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 pled not guilty to a charge of attempting to conspire with another or others to murder Mr Harty.
He has lodged a special defence of lacking criminal responsibility.
The court heard from Mr Harty, who claimed that he knew Ready as a customer from his family’s pub in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, where he worked before starting university in 2014.
He stated that he was familiar with Ready because he did not drink alcohol, but instead drank coffee.
Mr Harty told jurors that he became aware of a police investigation into Ready in September 2022.
Prosecutor Erin Campbell asked Mr Harty if he was aware it was a conspiracy to murder and he replied: “Yes”.
Miss Campbell then asked the witness if he knew any reason why this might be, to which Mr Harty responded: “None whatsoever”.
Miss Campbell asked: “How did you feel?”
And Mr Harty then answered: “Stunned, shocked, it happened on a works night out.
“It wasn’t something I was expecting.
“I was on a works night out when the police came to me. I was completely bewildered with the idea.”
Jurors were told that Ready had, two weeks before, downloaded an image of Mr Harty from the internet on to his mobile phone.
Brian McConnachie, defending his accused client, asked Mr Harty if he saw Ready at the pub between 2014 and 2022.
“It is possible,” Mr Harty answered, adding: “We were not friends, it’s not something that sticks in my mind seeing him on previous occasions.
“He may have been around.”
The advocate later asked if he knew two named families from Coatbridge, to which he said: “Yes.” Mr McConnachie asked: “Have you been involved in money laundering for the families?”
Mr Harty replied: “Absolutely not”.
The trial continues before Judge Lady Hood.
“Have you been involved in money laundering for the families?