Men accused of freedom conspiracy

John Haase has been convicted for his part in the conspiracy

Two Liverpool men helped create an elaborate plot to dupe authorities into believing two drug smugglers were police informants, a court has heard.

Kenneth Darcy, 50, and John Thompson deny a charge of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Inner London Crown Court heard Mr Darcy told a reporter he planted weapons and explosives around Liverpool as part of the scam to get two men out of jail.

Police then made 35 seizures, which were all set up to look genuine.

Earlier in the trial the court heard John Haase, 59, and his nephew Paul Bennett, 44, hatched a plot behind bars in 1993 to con the authorities into thinking they had turned on the underworld.

As part of the plan to free them Mr Darcy is alleged to have then disclosed to a Daily Mirror reporter, that he had buried Semtex explosives at Haydock Racecourse and planted weapons.

In his closing speech, Gibson Grenfell, prosecuting, told the court Haase and Bennett hatched the plan to reduce their jail sentences and relied on the cooperation of outsiders.

He said: "Their agreement could not be put into effect unless there were people ready, willing, and able to do their bidding.

Mr Darcy of Plum Tree Close, Stockbridge Village and Mr Thompson, of Eton Court, Liverpool, deny the charge.

David Williams, defending Mr Thompson, said: "Haase and Bennett are manipulative. They use people. They select what they tell them."

Ray Herman, representing Mr Darcy added there "was not one piece of evidence" connecting him to the plot.

The case continues.

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