Man sought to recruit killer

A man ordered to attend a self-help group for domestic violence offenders used the meeting to try and recruit a hitman to kill his former girlfriend.

James Scott, 38, from Worcester Park, south London, pleaded guilty to soliciting to murder, but was spared a custodial sentence when he appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday.

The court heard how Scott was in a relationship with Maureen Taylor between 1993 and November 2000.

I have got a lot of money. Can you get my wife killed?

James Scott

But when Miss Taylor ended the relationship he refused to accept it was over and bombarded her with letters and phone calls, which became increasingly threatening.

Tim Foster, prosecuting, said he was eventually convicted, in November 2001 of harassment and was given a 12 month probation order.

Restraining order

Miss Taylor, 50, also obtained a restraining order keeping him away from her home in Balham, south London.

One condition of the probation order was that he attend the Duluth Pathfinder Domestic Violence self-help group with other offenders.

But Mr Foster said Scott approached another member of the group, Mark Smith, and said: "I have got a lot of money. Can you get my wife killed?"

Mr Foster said: "Smith rebuffed this request, even when it was repeated in unequivocal terms.

"The defendant was subsequently excluded from the group."

Police later learned about his approach to Smith and arrested Scott.

Text message

Mr Foster said a text message was found on his mobile phone which was addressed to Miss Taylor. It said: "End of the road. Me got gun now. Me finish unfinished business." The message had not been sent.

Mr Foster said Miss Taylor she needed treatment for depression because of the harassment she suffered.

It is clear part of the problems are perhaps his low IQ and something of an obsessive personality

Sam Stein
Defence counsel

"She feels unable to get out of the house without fear of encountering this defendant," he said.

Sam Stein, defending, said: "It is clear his actions were misguided. It is clear part of the problems are perhaps his low IQ and something of an obsessive personality."

He said his client said he now "no longer thought about Miss Taylor" and realised their relationship was over.

Sentencing Scott, Judge Jeremy Roberts QC told him the maximum sentence for soliciting to murder was life.

But he said he would prefer a "constructive course of action" and imposed an 18 month community rehabilitation order on Scott.