GANGLAND LINK TO LAWWELL FIREBOMB
Celts chief’s home targeted after campaign
The firebomb attack on Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell’s home has been linked to a gangland agent.
It follows a Pol ice Scotland campaign to kick out fixers with ties to organised crime from the game.
REVEALED Our previous story Celtic’s stance against organised crime in Scottish football has been linked to a fire attack on chief executive Peter Lawwell’s home.
A gangland figure who acts as an agent to some of the game’s biggest stars blamed the Parkhead boss for attempting to thwart his influence in transfer deals and contract talks.
Lawwell, 61, supported a Police Scotland campaign to highlight how criminals were convincing young players to hire them as unregulated intermediaries who help control their future.
Now it’s feared a high-profile fixer with a violent history was behind the deliberate fire at Lawwell’s house in Thorntonhall, near Glasgow, earlier this month.
A source said: “Lawwell was fully behind the campaign to nullify the clout these individuals have.
“They have no place in football and their close connection to certain players is a cause for concern.
“One unregulated agent had a particular problem at Celtic. He knows Lawwell doesn’t approve of his involvement with players and their negotiations.
“People within the game fear that Law well’ s stand against organised crime is linked to the fire at his house.”
An accelerant was used to set fire to the £1.8million property and three vehicles in a late- night attack on May 19.
Security camera footage showed a man pouring a flammable substance over the cars. Lawwell ’s family, including his daughter and baby granddaughter, were forced to flee. Detectives are trying to trace a l ight- coloured, or si lver, hatchback, possibly a Mercedes A Class, and a white Fiat 500.
Pol ice say both vehicles were spotted acting suspiciously in the area and were last seen driving south, along South Road, in the direction of
Queensway, East Kilbride. Officers have asked members of the public to check their private CCTV systems for footage which may help the investigation.
A male suspect police are seeking to trace is described as being about 5ft 10in and of slim build. He was wearing black joggers, a black hooded jumper with the hood up, black trainers and a face mask.
Celtic and Rangers supported a Police Scotland initiative to warn young players of the dangers of signing contracts with gangsters who also operate as agents.
A video shown to academy players highlighted the story of a player who was targeted when he was just 17 and got caught up in crime.
He was given a £5000 watch by the kingpin and admitted he was seduced by his glamorous lifestyle.
Officers fear that gangsters who represent footballers could force them to get involved in match fixing and other crimes.
One unregulated agent who represents a player who has been capped for Scotland threatened two of his client’s teammates following a dressing room fallout.
An insider said: “Everyone at the club was shocked by this incident. It caused
a bigger problem than the argument between the players.”
Lawwell is leaving his role at Celtic at the end of June. He has been chief executive at the club for 17 years and will be replaced by Dominic McKay, who has been chief operating officer at Scottish Rugby since 2015.
Lawwell described the fire at his home as a “devastating attack” and said the trauma caused to his family “will stay with us all for a long time”.
Shocked neighbours said it was a miracle no one died in the incident.
Scottish Conservative shadow community safety minister Russell
Findlay said: “This cowardly and abhorrent attack has the hallmarks of organised crime and must be fully investigated.
“Just weeks ago, Police Scotland released a video, backed by Celtic and Rangers, warning of organised criminals grooming young footballers to launder dirty money in the transfer market.
“Their involvement has been an open secret in football and media circles for years and I applaud any measure to finally root out this cancer.
“The SNP need to get serious about these parasites who grow obscenely rich whi le Scottish drug deaths continue to rise.
“These criminals have also become increasingly emboldened with attacks on journalists, lawyers, politicians and prison off icers. That is not the kind of society we should tolerate.”
Ex- Scottish Labour MSP Graeme Pearson, former head of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency, said: “Criminals who are seen as captains of their industry like to be recognised in public places as VIPs.
“That draws them into the football environment. They also use that social club to mix with businessmen in order to spot weaknesses that they can then take advantage of.
“Anyone who wants to step in and limit their influence is going to make themselves of interest to organised crime because they’re making it difficult for them.”
Scottish Labour justice spokesman Neil Bibby said: “These cr imes were troubling before any further information came to light.
“Any suggestion that they could be linked to organised crime or Scottish football is deeply disturbing and must be thoroughly investigated.”
Each year the Scottish FA publishes what fees clubs have paid to agents.
Between February 1, 2020, and January 31, 2021, intermediaries hired by players received £1,965,118. Agents used by clubs earned £ 1,636,930, bringing the total to £3,602,048 being spent north of the Border.
Celtic splashed out the most –
£ 916,999 – whi le Old Firm rivals Rangers paid the second highest amount, £ 445,421.
Individuals with convictions for violence and fraud are banned from acting as registered agents.
Earlier this year, Police Scotland revealed five footballers had come forward to them and told how their careers had been harmed by gangland fixers.
The damage to Lawwell ’s home happened within days of deliberate fires also being started at properties of several successful businessmen.
Nightclub owner James Mortimer’s two cars were torched in the driveway of his Bothwell home hours after his neighbour, PPI tycoon Stephen McCann, had his Rolls-Royce targeted.
Businessman Brendan Hegarty’s £2.9million home in Glasgow’s west end was also attacked by arsonists.
Pol ice said inquiries into the incidents were ongoing.