Jurors have been told that the apparent ineptitude of a murder bid should not mask the fact it was a serious plot to kill a man.
Advocate Depute David Taylor told the High Court in Edinburgh there was sufficient evidence available to show that Warren Keating, 29, Darren Summers, 30, and Jeff Binnie, 24, were planning to kill Henry Stephen in Aberdeen.
He said the trio’s activities between September and November 2016 showed they were conspiring to take Mr Stephen’s life.
The solicitor advocate said the three men had obtained a gun, a motorbike, mobile phones and clothing during that time.
Mr Taylor said this showed that the items were going to be used in on an attempt to murder Mr Stephen and that the three men were guilty of a charge of conspiracy to murder.
The solicitor advocate was speaking on the sixth day of proceedings against Keating and Summers, of Liverpool, and Binnie, a prisoner at HMP Perth.
Mr Taylor made reference to evidence led before the court in which it was claimed the motorbike allegedly to be used in the supposed assassination attempt was stolen and its theft reported to police.
Summers, the court heard, was to have been the getaway driver but had to drop out of his role because he didn’t know his way around Aberdeen.
Mr Taylor said that jurors might therefore think the plot against Mr Stephen wasn’t serious.
But he said that this didn’t matter as the three men’s actions showed they had taken credible steps to plan Mr Stephen’s death.
He added: “The fact that it was a botched attempt is something to be thankful for. Mr Stephen should especially be thankful that it was a botched attempt.
“However, an agreement was in place.”
Mr Summer’s advocate Gareth Jones urged jurors to acquit his client of the charges.
He said: “You should exercise a great deal of care and caution when considering the evidence.”
Prosecutors allege the three men planned to murder Mr Stephen “in return for a payment of a sum of money.”
The Crown also claims that on October 27, 2016, Keating and Summers robbed the Coral Bookmakers at Cornhill Shopping Arcade in Aberdeen while wearing masks and assaulted Coral employees Jade Williams and Craig Mackland by brandishing knives at them.
It’s claimed the two men forced the two workers to open the shop’s safe before escaping with £2,800.
The three men have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The trial, before judge Lady Scott and a jury of eight women and seven men, continues.
