Neil Lennon: decade accusa di “complotto omicida” per gli accusati
Lennon ‘murder plot’ charge dropped
Two men still on trial over the sending of improvised explosive devices to Celtic boss Neil Lennon and high-profile fans, former MSP Trish Godman and the late Paul McBride QC, have had murder bid charges dropped.
Due to insufficient evidence, Trevor Muirhead and Neil McKenzie now stand accused of plotting to assault the intended victims by posting packages they believed were capable of exploding or igniting.
Trial judge Lord Turnbull directed the jury at the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday, telling them the term “and murder” had been deleted from the charge.
“You can only be asked to adjudicate on evidence which, as a matter of law, would be sufficient to entitle you to reach a decision,” he said.
“The evidence led in this case, no matter what you decide to make of it, would never be sufficient in law to entitle you to conclude a conspiracy to murder has taken place.”
The decision to make the amendment to the charge was taken after legal debate the previous day.
Muirhead, 44 and from Kilwinning, and McKenzie, 42 and from Saltcoats, both face a further charge of dispatching an item by post to Mr Lennon at Celtic Park – with the intention of making him believe it was likely to explode or ignite and cause injury or damage to property.
The pair deny all the charges against them.