Criminal claims he had‘not expected’level of violence
261115arrotshole_11 A thug has admitted being part of an armed gang who kidnapped a gym boss outside his East Kilbride home.
Gary Gallacher joined members of a crime clan to brutally attack Garry McMillan in November 2015.
The screaming victim was battered with baseball bats, hit with a machete before being forced into the boot of a car.
The 34-year-old dad also feared his fingers were going to be chopped off.
Mr McMillan was taken on a 30-mile trek from his plush home in Stewartfield before being dumped on a street in Stirlingshire.
A judge heard how the gang had demanded up to £250,000 from Mr McMillan following a fall-out.
Gallacher – a serial criminal – was snared following a high-profile probe to catch the attackers.
The 27-year-old went on to confess being involved – but claimed he had “not expected” the level of violence.
He is now back behind bars after he pled guilty to a charge of assault and abduction at the High Court in Glasgow.
The court heard there had been a disagreement with rival crime mobs and that Gallacher was linked to one of the groups.
A senior member of Gallacher’s faction had earlier demanded cash from someone in the other clan.
A gang then turned up at this individual’s home looking to “enforce the debt”. Men also later appeared at the Hamilton gym Mr McMillan co-owns. Mr McMillan went on help his associate out by handing over £5,000.
But, prosecutor Michael Meehan explained: “Unfortunately for McMillan, his ability to produce the cash then seems to have made him a target as he was seen as a source of further monies.”
It led to him being battered in a dark lane at Arrotshole Road in Stewartfield Grove at around 11pm on November 24, 2015 – just yards from where a gangland kneecapping victim was dumped earlier that year.
As he got out his van at his home, a motor raced up and blocked his vehicle in.
Mr Meehan said: “At that point, he was approached by up to five males all wearing black clothing and ski masks after they emerged from the car.
“He was naturally afraid that serious violence was going to be done to him and he ran off into a nearby lane.”
But, the victim was quickly hunted down before being struck with baseball bats and a machete. He was also punched and booted on the head and body.
McMillan was grabbed and dragged towards the gang’s car and bundled into the boot – his legs bound together with cable ties – before the car drove off at high speed.
He was punched during the journey and his iPhone was snatched to switch off any possible tracking.
The prosecutor added: “He was struck again with the machete – repeated demands were made for money.”
The vehicle was driven across Lanarkshire before McMillan was pulled out and dumped in a street in Slamannan, near Falkirk at around 12.45am.
As the gang made off, the bloodsoaked victim staggered to a nearby house for help.