A man, who described himself as an "evil Jesus", has been convicted following a failed online plot to murder a 37-year-old prosecutor in North Larnarkshire.
Martin Ready, 41, has been found guilty of attempted conspiracy to murder 37-year-old Darren Harty, a court has heard.
Ready paid over £5,000 in Bitcoin via the dark web, sending instructions to a hitman to kill his victim.
Defence counsel Brian McConnachie KC informed the court that they had been provided a report from forensic psychiatrist Dr Stuart Doig, which revealed that Ready "continues to suffer from delusional disorder", saying that an interim compulsion order would be "appropriate".
A forensic psychiatrist said that Ready "continues to suffer from delusional disorder", arguing that an interim compulsion order would be "appropriate"
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If such an order were to be passed, Ready would be able to be detained in a state hospital as a convicted person with a mental illness.
The defendant had denied the charges of conspiracy to murder Harty and paying a hitman £5,000 in cryptocurrency on the Online Killers Marketplace website, providing instructions to locate the lawyer.
Despite Ready's conviction of conspiracy, he previously said that he bore "no ill will" towards Harty, as he accused his family's pub of being involved in a money-laundering scam.
Earlier this year, the court heard that the defendant suffered from delusions that he was "evil Jesus" and believed Harty's assassination would help to expose organised crime.
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Although Harty assured the jury that money laundering was "absolutely not" happening at the pub in question, Ready told the court that he believed that his dark web plot would reveal "money washing".
Before a jury, prosecutor Erin Campbell asked Ready if he believed he was Jesus as a "running joke".
Responding, Ready said: “No. At the time, I genuinely believed I was Jesus and that the actions I took were to expose the criminality I had been subjected to.”
He continued: “I knew murder is illegal, that is correct. At the time I was genuinely delusional and believed this was the right course of action.”
Campbell declared that the Crown had made submitted a request for a non-harassment order.
Judge Lady Hood has adjourned Ready's case to November 21 at Inverness High Court
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Judge Lady Hood adjourned Ready's case to November 21 at Inverness High Court.
Detective Sergeant Karen Murray of Coatbridge CID said: "Ready believed that by using cryptocurrency and the dark web that his offences would go undetected, but this was not the case.
"Our specialist cybercrime officers followed the movement of funds and traced the crimes back to Ready, highlighting Police Scotland's capability and commitment to uncovering online criminal activity.
"Tackling all forms of serious and organised crime is a priority for us, and we will continue to safeguard our communities by targeting those involved in such activities, using every tool and specialised resource at our disposal."
