Pair from Loyalist group in court for attempted murder of Celtic boss Neil Lennon

Jurors hear from postman who first discovered suspicious parcel

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The jury in the trial of two men accused of a murder plot against Celtic’s Neil Lennon, were shown pictures of the contents of a suspicious package sent to the football manager.

Suspected Loyalist sympathisers Trevor Muirhead (43) and Neil McKenzie (42) stand accused of conspiring to murder Neil Lennon, Paul McBride QC, former Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) Trish Godman and members of the Glasgow offices of the Irish nationalist organisation Cairde Na Heirann, by sending them improvised explosive devices (IED) in the post.

The package that was sent to Lennon allegedly contained an IED police believed could potentially cause severe injury and death.

It is also alleged that the package, which was sent to Celtic’s training centre, enclosed a plastic bottle containing the substance tri-acetone tri-peroxide with a wire attached, a plastic bag containing a bag of nails and a watch.

Both of the accused are from Ayrshire and have also been charged with sending devices to Trish Godman MSP.

The trial began on Monday at the Glasgow High Court. The court heard how Andrew Brown, a Royal Mail postman became suspicious when he picked up a package from a post box on March 4, 2010.

"When I felt it, there were different textures. It just didn't feel right. There were sharp edges," Brown told the court.

Brown said he was aware of the “scuffle” which had taken place between Lennon and the  Rangers manager Ally McCoist, at an Old Firm match. He recalled the package stood out as it was addressed to Lennon. He informed his supervisors upon his return to the Saltcoats sorting office.

Upon inspection Andrew Easton, a Royal Mail line manager said the contents "felt like a bag of nails".

The police were called and the building was evacuated before specialist officers inspected the package. The court heard it was later established to be a fake “hoax nail bomb”.

The jury of 11 women and four men were shown photographs of the items contained in the package.

The trial continues and is expected to last between two and three weeks.

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