Six men jailed for gangland attacks across Edinburgh
The mob's targets included a man who told how his hand was left "hanging off" having been ambushed with blades.
Six men have been jailed for a series of so-called gangland attacks across Edinburgh between 2022 and 2023.
The mob's targets included a man who told how his hand was left "hanging off" having been ambushed with blades.
The crimes - which also involved torching the cars of prison officers at HMP Addiewell - were carried out in and around Edinburgh in late 2022 and early 2023.
The attackers were snared during a large-scale probe into the bloodshed.
One of the gang had fled to numerous countries before being hauled back to Scotland.
The crew also helped get themselves caught such as leaving handwritten directions to a target's home in a getaway car found during the investigation.
Michael Heeps, 34, John Murray, 25, Lee Ridgway, 32, Dale Bauld, 33, Damien Mullen, 26, and Ryan McGovern, 33, have now been convicted of their roles in the crimes following a lengthy trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
Lord Mulholland told them: “You have been convicted of charges that can only be described as out of control gangsterism.”
They were warned they face lengthy jail-term when they are sentenced next month.
Ryan Brown was one of the gang's victims having been attacked near his home in the capital's Pilton on January 5 2023.
The 30 year-old was walking to a friend's house when a car raced up and a machete wielding assailant “casually” got out to strike him.
Brown recalled trying to fend off the blows as the weapon was wildly swung at him.
He shouted at the balaclava-clad attacker: “What are you doing, mate?” - but the thug remained silent.
Brown slumped to the ground in agony.
He told prosecutor John Keenan KC: "I remember screaming and everyone running over. My hand was literally hanging off.
"I thought I was dying on the doorstep."
He was rushed to hospital where he was in the operating theatre for 12 hours.
This included surgery to repair his hand. Mr Brown told the trial he still remains affected by what happened and is expecting further operations.
He said speaking about it again was "bringing back bad memories".
Peajmaan Khosrowpour was earlier targeted in a “high speed chase” between Edinburgh and Dalkeith.
He was forced off the road and his car smashed into a wall. The man was left with a “large gaping wound” to his arm after he was struck with machetes.
He also needed a number of operations, has been left scarred for life and remains physically affected by the incident.
A physio has told him his condition is "as good as its going to get".
Robert McLintock was ambushed by masked attackers in late January 2023 in the capital's Ferniehill area.
This man ended up intensive care and a coma following the assault.
Kieran Jenkins had also been targeted in December 2022 in Bilston, near Edinburgh.
They were said to be “lying in wait” before confronting him as he was in his car. They smashed the vehicle up with bladed weapons. He fortunately escaped unharmed.
In a 999 call, Jenkins, however, said the attackers had tried to “chop him up”.
Mr Keenan told jurors: "It is plain they planned to attack Kieran Jenkins and cause him harm."
"He was left in no doubt that was their intention. There was no injury, but you can still regard this as a murderous attack."
The fire attacks at HMP Addiewell occurred on January 7 2023. A total of six vehicles were set alight late at night.
The court heard how CCTV footage and forensic evidence helped snare the mob, who had also tried to intimidate a witness by leaving a note calling her “a grass”.
McGovern had fled the UK initially via Campbeltown in Argyle and Bute and onto Dublin.
He went on travel to the Netherlands before going to Cambodia, VIetnam, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.
He was eventually traced and extradited back to Scotland.
Heeps was today convicted of eight charges including three attempted murders and being involved in the Addiewell blazes.
Murray was part of two murder bids in the five charges he was guilty of.
Ridgeway was involved in three of the attempted murders. He was convicted of eight charges.
Jurors found Bauld was part of two of those attacks and Mullen one of them.
McGovern was cleared of attempted murder, but guilty along with Heeps, Ridgway and Mullen of being involved in the blazes at Addiewell.
The charges had been said to have had a connection with serious organised crime, but this aggravation was deleted by prosecutors at the end of the evidence.
After the verdicts, advocate depute Mr Keenan revealed all six already had lengthy criminal pasts.
Lord Mulholland told them: “You have been convicted, to varying degrees, of a number of serious charges which can only be described as out of control gangsterism.
“This was attacking a number of people with machetes to the extent one nearly had his hand chopped off.
“Another was driven off the road and received amongst his injuries a deep hack wound to his arm.
“One ended up in a coma and a fourth was lucky to escape unharmed.
“You also travelled to HMP Addiewell where you set fire to six prison officers cars – a sinister crime against the very people tasked with executing the orders of the court.
“This was clearly intended to intimidate and send a message to those that worked at the prison.”