paul McBride death: Judge adjourns the ‘bomb plot’ trial as mark of respect

Paul McBride had been due to give evidence at the High Court in Glasgow this week.

Neil McKenzie and Trevor Muirhead are accused of conspiring to murder Celtic manager Neil Lennon, former MSP Trish Godman and Mr McBride, as well as various people in the premises of Irish Republican organisation Cairde Na Heireann, by sending improvised explosive devices to them between 1 March and 15 April last year. It is alleged they believed the devices were capable of exploding.

The pair face an alternative charge of conspiring to cause an explosion of a nature “likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property”.

They deny all charges.

Trial judge Lord Turnbull said the lawyer was “a friend and colleague of all of us”.

He told the jury: “Ladies and gentlemen, you will be aware from the media of the sad and untimely death of Mr McBride, and you understand, of course, that Mr McBride was due to give evidence in this case. He was also, of course, a friend and colleague of all of us in this courtroom, and as a mark of respect to him and his family, I do not propose to sit today.

“Accordingly, I adjourn the case until 10 o’clock tomorrow,” the judge said.

Last night, Neil Lennon issued a statement on the Celtic website paying personal tribute to Mr McBride: “On behalf of myself, my backroom staff and my players, I would like to send our sincere condolences to Paul’s family and Paul’s partner, Gary.

“Personally, I am completely devastated. Paul was a close friend of mine and my family’s, as is Gary. Paul’s passing has left a huge void in our lives.

“He was a magnificent man with a brilliant mind, and when he walked into a room he was a force of nature. I will miss him terribly.”