Daughter of crime boss Mags Haney fails to overturn jail term for Donald Findlay ‘Sash’ comment

Published on 31/10/2012 17:17

THE DAUGHTER of Raploch crime boss Mags Haney has failed in a bid to overturn a jail sentence for comments she made at Donald Findlay QC, whilst giving evidence.

• Catherine Haney sentenced to year in jail for contempt of court, a decision she attempted to overturn due to alleged pregnancy

• Claims could not be verified with doubts raised over the validity of a pregnancy test

• Contempt of court conviction upheld following Haney’s attitude and actions in court

Catherine Haney was sentenced to 12 months in prison for telling Donald Findlay QC whilst giving evidence that he would be ‘away singing the Sash’, a reference to an incident in 1999 when the then vice-chairman of Rangers was forecd to resign after being recorded on video singing the Sash at a Supporters’ Club party.

The 41-year-old had also responded angrily to Mr Findlay’s opening question: “So Miss Haney, when did a member of the famous Haney clan decide to become a grass?”

Haney responded with: “I’m not wearing a f****** kilt, I’m wearing f****** trackie bottoms.”

She had been called to give evidence at the murder trial of Donna Murphy, who murdered Connor Mallon at a flat in Shettleston, Glasgow in January 2010 and had been called as a witness over conversations she had held with the accused whilst they were both inmates at Stirling’s Cornton Vale prison.

Earlier today, at the Court of Crimal Appeal in Edinburgh, Lord Carloway took note of Haney’s claims that she should not be jailed due to being pregnant, but attempts made by Lord Hardie - the judge presiding over the initial trial - to verify this were unsuccessful.

Lord Carloway agreed with Lord Hardie that Haney’s actions in court amounted to ‘wilful defiance’ and the conviction for contempt should be upheld, but did note ‘with some concern’ that Mr Findlay’s opening question was ‘clearly designed to provoke a reaction in the witness, and did so.”