DRUGS GANG TORTURER IN WATERBOARD GUILTY PLEA
Thug thought mob associates had crossed him
A VIOLENT gangland figure involved in a £2000-a-day drug operation tortured other members of the crime mob.
Shaun McKinnon, whose identity cannot be revealed for legal reasons, ran a network of dealers in Edinburgh.
But a judge heard how the 35-year-old turned on associates he believed had crossed him.
This included him tying up and “waterboarding” two victims – described by one as “pure torture”.
McKinnon had been due to stand trial at the High Court in Glasgow. But he pled guilty to a charge of directing others to commit an offence aggravated by a connection with serious organised crime.
He already had previous high court drugs and money laundering convictions. His the brother was ex-boxing champ Alex McKinnon, who was shot dead at The Marmion pub in Edinburgh in April 2006.
McKinnon was later cleared of the attempted murder of gunman Jamie Bain, who was brutally beaten just after the shooting. Bain was jailed for 22 years for murder.
The latest charge spanned between January 1, 2019, and July 23, 2020.
Addresses central to the drug dealing included flats at Forteviot House in the city’s Moredun as well as in Marytree House in the capital’s Craigour Green.
Four addicts were targeted by the gangland mob.
It was estimated the huge drug trafficking operation raked in between £1000-£2000 a day from the sale of cocaine and heroin.
But the court heard this did not take in the “larger deals” McKinnon was part of or times where the illegal trade was quieter.
The four all ended up in fear of McKinnon which “escalated to actual violence”.
In May 2020, McKinnon believed two of them had stolen drugs. One had his hands tied and then a kettle of boiling water poured over his head. He was then subjected to “waterboarding” .
McKinnon told the other man: “You are going to have to get what he got.”
He then went through a similar 20-minute ordeal, which included boiling water poured on his back.
Another man was hit with a beer bottle in July 2020 and McKinnon threatened to “cut his face open”.
Police carried out raids in June and July 2020. Co-accused Samantha McCafferty, 35, was arrested during the raids. Her role was to “record” drugs which were supplied and debts built up.
McCafferty pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin.
McKinnon was remanded in custody but McCafferty had bail continued. They will be sentenced on March 13.