Hitman is sent down for 11 years for brutal attack on law chief

A MAN who carried out a “paid hit” on a senior legal official has been jailed for 11 years yesterday, but his motive remains unclear.

Robert Leiper Graham, 46, attempted to murder Leslie Cumming, 68, then deputy chief executive of the Law Society of Scotland, in a frenzied knife assault in Edinburgh in 2006.

Mr Cumming believed his work, which had involved inspecting law firms’ books and exposing rogue solicitors, was behind the attempt on his life.

Graham swore at his trial last month that he was innocent, and he shed no further light on the incident at yesterday’s sentencing hearing when he maintained his position.

His QC revealed that his true identity was Paul Francis McGhee, and that he had adopted the name Graham on coming to the UK as a fugitive from New Zealand almost 12 years ago.

The judge, John Morris, QC, asked the accused how he preferred to be addressed, and was told it was by his adopted name.

“Mr Graham, you were convicted of the premeditated and sustained murderous attack on a member of the public going about his lawful business, and did that apparently for financial gain,” said Judge Morris.

“As I am sure you appreciate, only a substantial custodial sentence is appropriate … 11 years.”

The judge also recommended that Graham be deported at the end of his prison term, although, he said, it would be up to the relevant authorities whether the recommendation was taken on board.

According to the accused, he was born Paul Francis McGhee in Dublin, but had moved to New Zealand at the age of nine. In 1999, a warrant for his arrest on drugs offences was issued in New Zealand, and he fled with a false passport to the UK.

At the trial, Mr Cumming recalled the attack in January 2006 when he returned home and parked his car in a garage in a lane at the rear of his home in the Murrayfield area of Edinburgh.

It was dark, and a figure emerged from the gloom. The person wore a balaclava and all that could be seen was “a circle of pale face.”

Without a word being spoken, the man struck Mr Cumming on the side of the face. He felt warm blood and realised a knife had been used.

He was then beaten mercilessly before the assailant calmly turned and walked away. Mr Cumming was left scarred for life by wounds to his face and body.

DNA from the attacker was identified on swabs taken from Mr Cumming’s fingernails and his jacket, but there was no match on the police database.

Graham, a martial arts enthusiast, lived in Edinburgh with a partner 20 years his junior and their two children. She was expecting their third child in 2009 when Graham left for Australia. He had been caught drink-driving in the south of England and a DNA sample had been taken from him. It was found to match the DNA in the Leslie Cumming inquiry. Graham was traced to a remote part of Western Australia, and extradition proceedings were started. He was returned to Scotland earlier this year.

He had worked as a scaffolder beside Nicholas Wells, 33, who told police: “I worked at Wembley Stadium in January 2006. Rob started a few weeks after me. He told me around this time he had done a judge in Edinburgh, having jumped out some bushes at him. I can recall him telling me [someone] paid him £10,000 to do the job and told him to give the guy a good working over.”