Men in court over grenade find outside Kenny Dalglish's home

Published on Tuesday 3 November 2009 14:24

TWO men appeared in court today and admitted their part in a plot which saw a hand grenade left outside the home of football legend Kenny Dalglish.

The Army bomb squad had to be called to the Merseyside home of the former Liverpool and Blackburn manager when the live explosive device was found by police last July.

Dalglish, 58, who now Liverpool FC's academy director, and his wife Marina, 55, who runs a cancer charity, were not the intended targets and were not at the Birkdale house when the grenade was found.

Mark Johnston, 21, of Maqueen Street, Old Swan, Liverpool, and Carl Higgins, 29, of Helston Green, Huyton, Merseyside, pleaded guilty at Liverpool Crown Court today to conspiring to damage property and being reckless as to whether lives were endangered.

Simon Lewis Ignacio, 28, of Lee Park Avenue, Belle Vale, Liverpool, pleaded not guilty and will stand trial alongside Johnston's mother, Carol Johnston, 50, of Maqueen Street, Old Swan, who denies assisting an offender.

Johnston and Higgins will be sentenced following the trial on February 1 and the facts of the case were not given by the prosecution at today's hearing.

The Recorder of Liverpool, Henry Globe QC, remanded the three men in custody and bailed Carol Johnston.