A MAN who went on the run is now behind bars for his key role in Scotland's top crime mob.
Paul Scott was the “technical expert” for the dangerous gang branded “the most sophisticated” ever encountered by police in this country.
The 47 year-old electrician tried to dodge justice for two years by fleeing to Spain.
But, Scott was snared in November 2018 and hauled back from Madrid to Scotland.
He is now the tenth member of the gang to be caught after he pled guilty to a charge of being involved in serious organised crime.
Scott was remanded in custody at the High Court in Glasgow pending sentencing next month.
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Nine associates were locked up at the same court last year with jail terms at the time totalling 87 years.
They were snared for their dealings in drugs, firearms, serious violence and dirty money.
Prosecutor Alex Prentice QC told how Scott's role was in connection with “technical and counter surveillance equipment” as well as encrypted devices.
This was to try and keep the mob one step ahead of the police.
Scott and fellow gang member Michael Bowman later happened to turn up at a rural property while police were searching.
A number of items were seized at the time including encrypted mobile phones and £2,000.
His home in Rutherglen, Glasgow was searched where mobile phones, laptops, an iPad and storage devices were seized.
User manuals and instruction guides for counter surveillance equipment were found as well.
A search of a lock up linked to Scott also uncovered two machetes and a tracker device.
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David Sell, Barry O'Neil, Anthony Woods, Francis Mulligan, Michael Bowman, Mark Richardson, Gerard Docherty, Steven McArdle and Martyn Fitzsimmons were also later arrested at different times.
They were jailed in January 2018 after they pled guilty to various charges linked to the gang.
Mr Prentice said it became clear Scott ended up living at “various locations across Europe” to “evade detection”.
He was finally traced in November 2018. He was eventually held at Madrid Airport and brought back to the UK by police.
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