Crime clan henchman sent back to prison
Killer is jailed again after a year of freedom
A KILLER linked to the Daniel crime clan is back behind bars after being accused of
hounding his own brother.
James Bell had his life licence recalled over claims he had repeatedly threatened his sibling with violence. Bell, 49, was caged for life in 2004 for murdering Paul Scott, 26, in Greenock in 2003. The thug forged links with Daniel mob hitman Jamie McDonald to carry out a prison attack while locked up. He was released from prison last year after serving more than 17 years of a life sentence. However, he was arrested over claims he threatened to assault his brother and others. Now Scottish Government ministers have ordered his life licence to be revoked, meaning he had to be returned to custody. Bell went on trial earlier this week at Greenock Sheriff Court over claims he threatened his sibling. Prosecutors claimed he went to his brother’s home in the town on two separate occasions on November 25 and behaved in a threatening or abusive way.
He was also alleged to have shouted, swore, conducted himself “in a disorderly manner” and threatened residents during a second incident.
But prosecutors dropped the charges after a witness gave evidence.
Sheriff Joseph Hughes told Bell, who had been remanded in custody over the case: “I formally find you not guilty of the charges. That’s the matter at an end.”
A source said: “Bell finds it unbelievable that he has been found not guilty but still ended up back in prison.
“It’ll now be up to the parole board if and when he gets back out.”
Bell and gangland assassin James McDonald teamed up to carry out a savage attack on another prisoner while behind bars. McDonald is serving a 35-year sentence for shooting Michael Lyons and attempting to murder Michael’s cousin Steven Lyons and Robert Pickett in a Glasgow garage in 2006.
In 2015, Bell and McDonald attacked James Anderson at Perth Prison, slashing and stabbing him with a home-made weapon made from a piece of plastic.
McDonald was given an additional nine-year term for that attack. Bell was given a six-year term for his role in the assault.
A Parole Board for Scotland spokesperson said: “We don’t comment on individual cases.”
Bell finds it unbelievable that he has ended up back in prison UNNAMED SOURCE ON BELL’S RECALL TO JAIL