Hitman who got 'cold feet' after being hired to kill Scots gangster jailed for more than seven years

A hitman who agreed to murder a Scottish gangster was jailed for seven and a half years after he pulled out of the planned shooting and returned south.

James Richards, 36, checked out the scene for the proposed hit on Ryan Carvill but got “cold feet” and raised concerns about a getaway vehicle.

A judge told the Liverpudlian that he agreed to murder a rival drug dealer for payment but then “realised the folly of what you had agreed to”.

Lord Young told Richards that in fixing his sentence for the offence he took into account his lack of previous violent offending and that “you did eventually distance yourself from this scheme”.

The judge said at the High Court in Edinburgh that a background report on Richards said that most of his adult life has been blighted by his drug addiction.

Richards earlier admitted that between April 9 and 13 in 2020 at addresses in Glasgow, Lenzie, Liverpool and elsewhere he was involved in serious, organised crime.

He conspired to murder Carvill and agreed to shoot him for payment. As part of the conspiracy he travelled from the Liverpool area to Lenzie, in Dunbartonshire, took possession of an encrypted phone and handgun, visited locations for the proposed shooting and for the dumping and burning of cars and discussed the specification of getaway vehicles.

Carvill became a target for criminal David Nisbet, 35, and his associate Declan McCuish, 35.

Advocate depute Lindsay Dalziel said: “Nisbet entered into discussions with no less than three potential hitmen, but it was agreement with James Richards which reached an advanced stage.”

“Declan McCuish was told to make sure a flat was available in the full knowledge that it was being occupied by a hitman,” she said.

Nisbet said as he discussed plans: “Mate, I will get someone to f***ing put a tool to a head tonight … this rat has to get got.”

But after Richards travelled north he pulled out of the plan. He had asked Nisbet if he could get him a fast car and said: “At least if I had a fast car or a motorbike I could get away.”

The advocate depute said: “The conspiracy faltered because Richards did not like the getaway cars or arrangements on offer.” He was driven south but was stopped by armed response police.

Nisbet was subsequently jailed for 13 years and McCuish for 11 years after they were convicted of conspiring to kill Carvill following a trial.

Benefits cheat Carvill, 32, who moved between Glasgow and Dubai, was jailed for eight years and three months earlier this year for his role in a lucrative narcotics supply operation that funded his high-living lifestyle.

Defence counsel John Scullion KC, for Richards, said: “He has a lengthy history of drug misuse and became involved in this offence in an attempt to settle debts to those who supplied him.”

He said Richards quickly realised he could not go through with the shooting plan. “He raised issues to get out of something that he regretted becoming involved in,” said Mr Scullion.

Lord Young imposed a three-year serious crime prevention order on Richards aimed at stopping him from committing further offending.