Gangland figure caught with £16,000 in online betting account jailed

A gangland figure who flouted a dirty cash crime order after being caught with more than £16,000 in his online betting account has been jailed for more than 13 months.

Convicted drug trafficker Fergus Smith had been hit with a ‘super-Asbo’ in 2019 following being jailed for money laundering in 2019.

One rule of the strict order – designed to tackle and restrict criminals on their release from prison – was that the now 43 year-old had to declare any income of £10,000 or above.

But, during a probe into his finances, it emerged Smith had £16,486 sitting in his Paddy Power account.

In total, Smith – a reported associate of the notorious Daniel crime clan – had £55,000 of “income from various sources” that he had kept quiet about.

Smith pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to breaching the Serious Crime Prevention Order (SCPO) and possessing criminal property.

Sheriff Stuart Reid said at Friday’s sentencing: “I have carefully considered the information and the conclusion is that custody will be the disposal.”

The sheriff jailed Smith for 422 days and a confiscation hearing was also fixed for June this year.

Smith was previously locked up for 10 months after being caught with £15,000 of dirty money at his then home in the city’s Bridgeton.

A three-year SCPO was then imposed on him in October 2019.

Smith had to inform the police with 48 hours of any sources of income from work, benefits or rental of any properties.

He assured the authorities that he would notify of any changes.

A probe was sparked, however, when it emerged Smith had a purchase agreement on a sporty Audi S3 car in June 2020.

A check revealed he had no self-declared income.

A warrant was then sought to investigate Smith’s bank transactions between late 2019 and October 2021.

Fiscal Darren Harty said: “The statement showed that Smith had outgoings of £70,831 and an income from various sources totalling £55,000 none of which was notified to police.

“A total of £16,486 was received from the account of Paddy Power.

“This was from 50 deposits from the Paddy Power account ranging from £62.50 to £1,320.85.”

There statement also revealed a near £4,000 payment from car dealer Arnold Clark, seven amounts totalling £10,300 from an accident repair firm called ‘Raltec Paisley’ as well as £25,000 in cash deposits via the Post Office.

Smith, of the city’s Mount Vernon, was arrested in December 2021 and replied “no” to each accusation put to him.

Thomas Ross KC, defending, told the sentencing: “He was well aware that with the terms of the order it would be open for the police to gain access to his Santander bank account to see if he complied.

“In a way, it was inevitable that he would be caught with the money from his employment.

“In terms of the other charge, I wasn’t in a position to explain anything with a substantial defence.

“It was in his bank account and it was through that police found out about the offences and he was prosecuted.

“He had been doing a course working on railways when the network is down at two and three in the morning and access is gained by ropes.

“He did this work in January and February when drug dealers would be in their beds – if he has money from illegal means he would not be out cleaning the railways.”

In 2008, Smith was one of 17 members of a gang given sentences totalling more than 100 years at Liverpool Crown Court for planning to flood Scotland with cocaine.

He is also said to be an associate of shamed ex-soldier Martyn Fitzsimmons – locked up in 2018 for his links to organised crime.

Smith was a former friend of Daniel clan enforcer Kevin “Gerbil” Carroll, who was shot dead in an Asda car park in Robroyston, Glasgow, in 2010.