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'Assassination list' A&E doctor jailed for 12 years | 'Assassination list' A&E doctor jailed for 12 years |
(35 minutes later) | |
A former A&E consultant has been jailed for 12 years for possessing firearms with intent to endanger life. | A former A&E consultant has been jailed for 12 years for possessing firearms with intent to endanger life. |
Dr Martin Watt, who worked at Monklands Hospital in Airdrie from 1994, was sacked in 2012 following disciplinary proceedings. | Dr Martin Watt, who worked at Monklands Hospital in Airdrie from 1994, was sacked in 2012 following disciplinary proceedings. |
The 62-year-old was later found with three sub-machine guns, two pistols, ammunition and an "assassination list" of those he blamed for his dismissal. | |
He was found guilty last month after a trial at the High Court in Glasgow. | He was found guilty last month after a trial at the High Court in Glasgow. |
The court had heard how he compiled a list of "bad guys", and hatched a plan to "assassinate" them. | |
Watt used the weapons for target practice to make himself a better marksman. | |
He also researched the best routes to the addresses of some of the people on his list, and compiled a list of some of their car registration numbers. | |
His home in Lanarkshire was raided by police last year after a tip-off. | |
'Practised shooting' | |
Jailing him, judge Lady Stacey told Watt: "These are lethal weapons. Not only did you have the guns, you had live ammunition. The weapons were all in working order because you reactivated them. | Jailing him, judge Lady Stacey told Watt: "These are lethal weapons. Not only did you have the guns, you had live ammunition. The weapons were all in working order because you reactivated them. |
"You had them with intent to endanger life and any court must take a very serious view of this. You represent a danger to members of the public. | "You had them with intent to endanger life and any court must take a very serious view of this. You represent a danger to members of the public. |
"You had researched routes to some addresses, you told the jury you practised shooting to make yourself a better marksman." | "You had researched routes to some addresses, you told the jury you practised shooting to make yourself a better marksman." |
The judge added: "It is sad to see a man who has held position you have, in this situation, but I must protect the public." | |
She ordered Watt to be on licence for three years after his release from prison. A Serious Crime Prevention Order was also granted restricting his internet use, travel and NHS visits for five years after his release from custody. | |
Watt, who continues to insist he did not plan to harm anyone with the weapons, smiled as sentence was passed and nodded while the judge was speaking. | |
He had claimed he had merely compiled the "hit list" as a way of making himself feel better, and had no intention of carrying out any attacks. | |
Defence QC John Scott said: "This is clearly a most unusual case and Dr Watt is an unusual person to be sitting in the dock at the High Court. | |
"He is a medical man who with over 30 years of significant public service in the NHS. | |
"He had a prominent role in the campaign to keep Monklands Hospital, He is an intelligent man who has made a positive contribution to society." | |
Dum-dum bullets | |
Police found three Skorpion sub-machine guns, two Valtro pistols and bullets including 57 dum-dum bullets when they searched his home in Condorrat in May of last year. | |
The court heard that Watt bought decommissioned weapons legally from the Czech Republic and put them back into working order in his workshop. | The court heard that Watt bought decommissioned weapons legally from the Czech Republic and put them back into working order in his workshop. |
They also uncovered the "bad guys" list, along with information on individual addresses and car registrations. | |
The "template" for the attacks was based on a film about a group of mercenaries. | |
Watt also carried out target practice with a Skorpion sub-machine gun at a forest area close to a motorway near his home. | Watt also carried out target practice with a Skorpion sub-machine gun at a forest area close to a motorway near his home. |