Convicted murder plotted to have prison guard attacked with handgun

A convicted murderer sought revenge on a prison officer who allegedly “left him to die” by having the guard “seriously assaulted” with a handgun, a court has heard.

Robert Paterson, 45, was serving a life sentence in HMP Edinburgh when he claimed to fall unwell in the early hours of November 15, 2022.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard he told a staff member that he needed an ambulance because he had taken cocaine and thought he was having a heart attack.

But judge Lord Harrower heard the guard grew suspicious – he saw Paterson remove a sim card from a mobile phone and swallow it.

The officer was also concerned about Paterson’s history – he was jailed in 2012 on a conspiracy charge – this related to a plan involving him escaping jail while being treated for health issues in hospital.

The officer’s suspicious were heightened further because an ambulance had arrived at the Edinburgh jail which hadn’t been ordered by prison staff.

The court heard how this prompted the guard to agree with paramedics to keep Paterson for observations at the jail before sending the inmate to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary at 8am.

Doctors then found that Paterson had seven bags of cocaine present in his abdomen which medics thought might burst and put his health at risk. This caused them to remove the drugs.

On Friday, prosecutor Alan Cameron KC told the court of how Paterson reacted to what happened to him when he returned to jail.

“He was extremely unhappy about the delay in him being sent to hospital and subsequently made a complaint about the prison authorities in which he claimed that he had been told at hospital that he was lucky to be alive,” the prosecutor said.

“He also formed a personal animus towards the officer whom he blamed for the delay in him being sent to hospital.

“Ultimately, he decided that he would seek revenge upon the officer by having him seriously assaulted.

“To advance this plan, he made contact with people both within and outside the prison – the latter by means of non-prison issue mobile telephones which he possessed.”

The court heard that prison officials became increasingly concerned about Paterson’s behaviour. In February 2023, police started bugging his cell.

Mr Cameron added: “Over that period, Paterson repeatedly made reference to the man who left me to die and made it clear that he did not intend to let the matter lie. He spoke to several people about different aspects of his plan.

“Much of the discussion centred around a handgun to which he could provide access and the need to find the right size of ammunition for that gun.

“He identified an individual who said that they were willing to assault the officer for him and discussed with that individual the requirement for a vehicle and a driver to assist him.

“On one occasion, he was heard to say that he identified someone to do the staff member.

“Fortunately, the police intervened and no attempt was actually made to assault the officer who was entirely unaware of the matter until told about it by Scottish Prison Service staff and police.”

The story emerged on Friday after Paterson pleaded guilty to a charge which stated that between January 28, and February 14, in 2023, Paterson directed men called Sean McGregor and Donald Stone and “others” to supply drugs into HMP Edinburgh.

He also directed Stone and McGregor and others to “rob others of controlled drugs, watches, and a sum of money”. Paterson also admitted directing “others” to assault the prison officer and for “that purpose” obtain a handgun, ammo and a vehicle.

Stone pleaded guilty to being involved “in serious organised crime and did agree with others to do something you knew or suspected or ought reasonably to have known or suspected would enable or further the commission of serious organised crime”.

He was going to supply drugs into HMP Edinburgh.

McGregor admitted to a charge of arranging to carry out an “assault and robbery of drugs from others” and he was going to pass on the address of the property in order “to facilitate” the robbery.

Paterson was given life for shooting dead a man in a Cumbernauld street in 2008.

In 2012, he was given another three years by judge Lord Bracadale at the High Court in Glasgow.

On that occasion, the court heard how two other men intended to help Paterson escape from custody on January 17, 2012 during a visit from Shotts Prison to Wishaw Hospital.

But the police were tipped off about the scheme and used undercover surveillance to foil it.

On Friday, prosecutors told the court that Stone and McGregor’s roles were picked up during the time police were bugging Paterson’s cell.

The advocate depute said there was “routine discussion” of supplying drugs by others “at his direction”. The scam being headed by Paterson involved valium tablets and evidence suggested that “thousands of pounds” were “changing hands”.

Police learned that Stone was supplying drugs in the Bathgate area and that he was supplying drugs into Saughton on Paterson’s behalf.

“The supplying of drugs into HMP Edinburgh was also discussed in some detail. In the period leading up to February 7, 2023, Stone found two women who were prepared to visit the prison in possession of drugs,” prosecutor Mr Cameron said.

“Paterson identified prisoners within the prison who were prepared to receive them during visits and photographs were exchanged so that they would recognise each other.

“The women and the prisoners were to be paid for their participation by the receipt of drugs.”

Police then learned of McGregor’s involvement in the racket.

The court heard that on February 4, McGregor made contact with Paterson to say that he and other men had gone to a cannabis farm with the intention of carrying out a robbery.

Mr Cameron added: “They pretended to be police officers which caused the owners to flee and they took a quantity of cannabis.

“Paterson agreed to buy the cannabis from McGregor and subsequently made contact with another individual to arrange that.”

Police learned that Paterson received a phone call from an “unknown individual” who told him about a property which housed “several kilograms of cannabis and cocaine” and “five high value watches”.

Mr Cameron added: “The suggestion was that the individuals within the property could be robbed of these items and the profits shared.

“Paterson subsequently made contact by telephone with other people with the intention of having them attend at the property to rob it.

“One of these individuals was Sean McGregor who agreed to participate.

“No such robbery took place before the police action the following day.”

The trio were arrested.

Judge Lord Harrower deferred sentence on the trio until May 30, 2025, calling for background reports.

Defence advocates Thomas Ross KC, John Scullion KC and Michael Anderson KC will address the court with their mitigations on that date.