Pair admit plan to help prisoner escape

Two men have admitted conspiring with a convicted murderer to spring him from custody during a hospital visit in what was an “entirely naive” plan foiled by police.

Officers covertly set up audio and video surveillance when they discovered the plot to help Robert Paterson escape from custody, and intercepted.

John Wilson, 29, Scott McAllister, 39, and Paterson, 32, admitted conspiring, between 12 January and 17 January, to defeat the ends of justice and help Paterson escape from lawful custody while he was on a pre-­arranged visit to Wishaw General Hospital.

Paterson was a prisoner in HMP Shotts at the time. The trio pleaded guilty when they appeared before Lord Bracadale at the High Court in Glasgow.