MI5 foiled plot to murder Johnny Adair after secretly bugging prison cell

THREE men have been jailed for planning to murder former UFF chiefs Johnny ‘Mad Dog’ Adair and Sam ‘Skelly’ McCrory.

Antoin Duffy, 39, his cousin Martin Hughes, 36, and Paul Sands, 32, had denied plotting to kill Johnny “Mad Dog” Adair and Sam McCrory in Scotland.

They were convicted in July following a nine-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow, where Duffy and Hughes were also convicted of terrorism charges.

Duffy was jailed for 17 years, Hughes for 11 years and Sands for 10 years.

Two other men, Craig Convery and Gordon Brown, were found guilty of organised crime charges.

Duffy, Hughes and Sands jailed over plot to murder Adair and McCrory

Convery was jailed for nine years and Brown for six years.

Prosecutors say Duffy, 38, Hughes, 35, Sands, 31, and Gorman, 57, along with unnamed individuals, plotted to kill Adair and McCrory between August 2010 and October last year.

Locations where the plans were allegedly discussed included high-security HMP Shotts and a flat in Old Castle Road in Glasgow’s Shawlands.

It is claimed “surveillance and reconnaissance” was carried out on Mr Adair and Mr McCrory.

The charges includes accusations there were plans “of where and by what means” each man “was to be murdered”.

Three other men, Craig Convery, Gary Convery and Gordon Brown faced charges concerned with the alleged conspiracies. Theyalso pleaded not guilty.

Belfast Daily revealed last year that Adair was warned about the plot by police after he stepped off a plan in Glasgow.

He had just returned from a holiday in Spain where he was celebrating his 50th birthday with close family and friends.