Murderer ran drugs factory

The court heard police had received a tip off

A double murderer once branded Scotland's most dangerous man was caught dealing drugs worth £340,000, a court has heard.

Donald Forbes, 68, has already spent 40 years in prison on two separate murder convictions and at one time faced the death sentence.

The High Court in Glasgow heard how police found a cocaine and cannabis factory in Forbes' flat where he was preparing large quantities of cocaine and cannabis for sale.

Among items uncovered were electronic scales for weighing the cocaine, an industrial press, a food mixer for bulking the drug, tape and rubber gloves.

Advocate depute Mr Peter Ferguson, prosecuting, said cannabis with an import value of £216,000 was found in the flat, along with £124,000 worth of cocaine.

He should be sitting back enjoying peace of mind in his old age, instead he is back in prison

Barry Divers,
Defence advocate

He told how police stopped a car on 1 December last year after Forbes left it and found a package of cocaine with a street value of £27,000 under a seat.

On 14 January, 2003, police received an anonymous tip off that Forbes was drug dealing from his flat on Ryehill Road, Royston, Glasgow, and arrested him.

Mr Ferguson added: "He admitted preparing the drugs for sale in the flat. He also admitted placing the cocaine under the seat of the car stopped by police six weeks previously."

Defence advocate Barry Divers told the court that Forbes was a "vulnerable man who was used by others to run their drug businesses".

'Misguided effort'

Mr Divers added: "While out of prison he married and has three children, aged 17,18 and 24. His wife deserted him and the children when he was aged 63 and in a misguided effort to help his family he stupidly got involved in this drugs offence.

"He should be sitting back enjoying peace of mind in his old age, instead he is back in prison."

Forbes admitted dealing in cocaine on 1 December, 2002, in a car in Quarrywood Avenue, Barmulloch, and Stepps Road, Glasgow, and dealing in cocaine and cannabis on 14 January 2003, at his flat.

Cocaine was found in the car

His co-accused, taxi driver Scott Rennie, 33, of Mossvale Walk, Garthamlock, Glasgow, admitted dealing in the £27,000 worth of cocaine left in his car by Forbes before he was stopped by police.

Solicitor advocate Tony Quin, defending, said that Rennie had acted as a courier for one day when he was arrested.

Lord Menzies deferred sentence until next Thursday.

Forbes was found guilty in 1958 of the murder of Edinburgh night watchman Allan Fisher during a robbery at a fish factory.

He was sentenced to death, but it was commuted to life imprisonment.

Forbes was freed in 1970, but six weeks later he stabbed a man during a pub brawl in Edinburgh.

A year later Forbes was branded Scotland's most dangerous man after escaping from the maximum security wing at Peterhead Prison.

He was recaptured and until his release in 1998 Forbes was one of Britain's longest serving prisoners.