Man caught with £160,000 tells court he was paying back murdered son’s drug debt

A man caught with £160,000 of dirty money claimed he was paying back his murdered son’s drug debt.

John Sinclair, 58, was caught with the cash in his car as well as his home in Glasgow’s Drumchapel on November 13, 2024.

Sinclair’s son Darren ‘Sinky’ Sinclair, 27, was stabbed in the heart by killers Joseph McIntyre and Robert Dunn in November 2018.

The pair dumped Darren’s body, which had suffered ten stab wounds, in wasteland near to his home.

Matters arose after Darren allegedly spoke to police amid claims he was assaulted and left with a brain injury months earlier.

Darren had been dubbed a ‘grass’ on graffiti sprayed in the area.

McIntyre received a minimum 23-year jail term for murder, while Dunn was sentenced to 11 years for culpable homicide.

John Sinclair’s lawyer told a court that Darren had accumulated an £18,000 drug debt before his murder.

It was further stated that Sinclair was ordered to pay off what was owed, or his family would be “harmed.”

Sinclair pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to receiving and concealing criminal property as well as attempting to stop police from seizing it.

The first offender was granted bail pending sentencing next month by Sheriff Lorraine Glancy, KC.

The court heard that police had received intelligence that a Kia Ceed car was dropping off drugs and collecting cash.

Officers stopped the vehicle, and Sinclair was found inside.

After a search, two iPhones as well as cash held in supermarket shopping bags were recovered.

Prosecutor Caitlin McAllister said: “On the journey to the police station, Sinclair said he was worried about the safety of his wife and grandchild.

“He said he had more cash and a counting machine at his home.”

Police attended the property and found his granddaughter leaving with a suitcase.

She told officers: “My gran just told me to take the suitcase – I don’t know what was in it.”

A search of the property took place, and further cash was recovered from shopping bags.

Miss McAllister said: “The total amount of cash seized from the property and the car was £160,790.”

Abbi Sinclair, 21, and wife Karen Sinclair, 59, had their not guilty pleas accepted by the Crown.

Ron Mackenna, defending, told the court: “He stated to me that his reaction to being stopped was one of relief.

“His son was murdered in 2018, and one year later, someone told my client that his son had a drug debt of £18,000.

“He was told that if he didn’t pay the debt or assist his family would be harmed.

“My client went along with this before police involvement, and he realised after a period of time that no drug debt was ever reducing.

“He was told that it went down from £18,000 to £12,000 at one point.

“He accepts on reflection that he could have gone to the police – he was terrified for his family and grandchildren.”