Gang gets 29 years

A gang of men who ran a savage campaign of kidnappings, violence and intimidation against terrified workers have been caged for a total of 29 years.

The clan, with links to Shotts, were led by fearsome Robert McPhee – nicknamed The Tank Commander.

The 65-year-old teamed up with sons James, 45, and Steven McPhee, 37, as well as son-inlaw John Miller, 38, to prey on vulnerable men.

The four men carried out their crimes in Lanarkshire, Glasgow, Paisley, Bathgate, London and Manchester and were arrested in March last year following a major policing operation in Deas Road, Shotts.

All of the eight victims came from broken or troubled backgrounds.

They were promised work and money doing jobs such as mono-blocking driveways for the family.

But, the men did mammoth shifts for little or no pay – and were brutally punished if they complained or attempted to escape the gang’s clutches.

Passing sentence judge Lady Stacey told the men: “You did not treat them properly.

“In some cases there was violence over a long period, in others there were abductions by which you forced people away from their families and forced them to work for you.

“The jury convicted three of you of serious offences and one of you pled guilty to assault.

“These are serious matters, the evidence showed an attitude from you of thinking that you were able to tell people what to do, how to do it, when to do it, where to live and backing up your instructions with violence.”

Robert McPhee was jailed for a total of 10 years with two years supervision when he is released.

James was sentenced to nine years behind bars and three years supervision, and Miller was jailed for a total of seven years with three years supervision.

Steven McPhee had also stood trial, but he admitted to an assaulting one worker, who damaged his van, near the end of the case.

He was jailed for three years for his part.

The thug family made a living from their mono- blocking, slabbing and tree cutting businesses.

They stayed at a number of traveller sites across Scotland including one in Bathgate, West Lothian and another in Larkhall.

They latterly had a base at Curryside Piggery in Shotts.