Retired doctor caught with pistols and sub-machine guns

Martin Watt was dismissed from Monklands Hospital in Airdrie.

Three Skorpion submachine guns, two pistols and scores of ammunition were among the items recovered from 62-year-old Martin Watt’s bedroom.

PC Scott McLeod was one of the officers who went to the Cumbernauld house with a firearms warrant on May 18, last year.

He told jurors when they arrived Watt said “I will show you what I have got” and lead them to a bedroom.

The police also found paperwork relating to Watt’s dismissal from Monklands Hospital in Airdrie where he had been a consultant in medicine.

And, an envelope with ‘Bad Guys’ written on it which contained names and addresses, some of which linked to Watt’s disciplinary process.

Watt, from Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire is on trial for using submachine guns and pistols to endanger life between March 2013 and May 2017.

He denies this but admits having in his possession most of the firearms the police found at the house in Condorrat.

Jurors were read a joint minute that detailed the firearms, ammunition and all other items found during the search.

Advocate depute Alex Prentice said that between May 18 and 20, at an address at Maree Drive, Cumbernauld  police searched and recovered a number of items belonging to Watt. He listed the  various firearms, ammunition and other items found in  the search, including three Skorpion submachine  guns and two self loading pistols.

Mr Prentice said a laptop belonging to Watt was examined and on it were 656 images including firearms, firearm parts, diagrams relating to the making of explosive devices and pictures of people.

He said the internet history of the laptop was found to contain searches on individuals involved Watt’s dismissal hearings, how to kill someone and how to break someone’s neck, among others.

PC McLeod was shown an envelope that was recovered from Watt’s room that had ‘Bad Guys’ written on it.

Inside there were names and addresses, some of which PC McLeod were significant after liaising with NHS Lanarkshrie.

Mr Prentice: “Was there some names linked to the disciplinary process itself?”

PC McLeod replied: “Yes,  sir.”

The trial before judge Lady Stacey continues.