Edinburgh prisoners 'racking up £1m bill for taxpayers' after child snatch and murder plot
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
A trio were found to be behind a horrific plot to steal children and murder their parents have racked up a £1million bill for taxpayers in Scotland.
Valerie Hayes, Gary Reburn and Frank Amnott were identified by the FBI, and found in Glasgow back in 2018. Hayes and Reburn are listed as being held at HMP Edinburgh, with Amnott listed at HMP Polmont.
This comes more than two years after they lost an appeal against their extradition to the US. So far they have cost the public purse at least £205,278 in legal aid fees and an estimated £750,000 to £800,000 in prison costs, reports the Daily Record.
US prosecutors say ringleader Hayes fled to Glasgow after botching an abduction plot, which "read like a script from a bad horror movie". They say the mum duped childless couple Frank and Jennifer Amnott into believing she was a government agent before convincing them to help her carry out the abduction in return for a child of their own.
The US Attorney's Office claim Hayes, who was living in Maryland with boyfriend Reburn, fed the couple lies that she was in intelligence and three of her kids had been kidnapped and were being held by two families in the Old Order Mennonites community in Dayton. Prosecutors say Hayes, Reburn and Frank Amnott planned to enter the first house and hold the parents at gunpoint.
Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox
After Hayes secured the two kids, Reburn and Frank Amnott would kill the parents before driving to the second house, force entry, and perform a similar murder. A Department of Justice affidavit said Hayes was disguised as a Mennonite when a parent opened the door and was held at gunpoint.
Another parent fled and dialled 911 and, when cops arrived, found Frank Amnott holding the parent hostage. Prosecutors say Hayes and Reburn fled to Maryland to meet Amnott's wife before all three fled to Scotland, where they were later arrested.
In 2019, Frank Amnott pled guilty to conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to kill witnesses and firearm offences. He said Hayes was central to the July 2018 plot.
But Hayes says she was in the UK having been granted temporary asylum as a victim of "systematic torture" at the hands of a US -intelligence officer. Their appeals against extraditon were thrown out of the Appeal Court and the Supreme Court in London.
Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
In 2023, the case was sent to the European Court of Human Rights, a last chance at avoiding extradition. Hayes and Reburn, listed in court papers as being held at HMP Edinburgh, and Amnott, listed as HMP Polmont, have complained that their extradition would violate their rights because there is a risk they would receive a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment without parole if convicted in the US.
Interim measures have been granted by the ECHR to prevent their extradition pending a determination. The Scottish Legal Aid Board said: "Extradition cases can result in higher costs because of their international nature but we work with legal teams to ensure these are managed effectively."
The last ECHR update said it was being "communicated to the Government for observations" in July 2023. The US Attorney's Office, in the Western District of Virginia, said it does not comment on pending extradition matters. The Scottish -Government said it would be -"inappropriate" to comment.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Edinburgh Live
8 minutes ago
- Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh police lock down leafy street and launch major manhunt as gang war rages
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Edinburgh police are investigating 'wilful' fireraisings after a plush car was firebombed. The incident, which is believed to be linked to the ongoing gang wars, saw officers called to Campion Road at around 4am on Monday morning. The vehicle, a Range Rover Evoque, was seen burnt out by residents heading to work on June 9. Police taped off the street as they probed the fire. It's understood that the vehicle was outside the home of an associate of gangland boss Mark Richardson. A local resident, this morning, said: "I was leaving for work street was all shut at 6am with police and fire brigade. A second resident added: "There is still a really strong smell of burning in the air. "It looks like the car exploded as there is barely anything left of it and there is just rubble on the street and outside homes. It doesn't look like any other cars were affected but it was right next to several. "Police have taped off part of the street and look like they're waiting for someone else to arrive at the scene." It is the second time the gang violence has been brought to Campion Road after a home was targeted last month on May 10. The ongoing feud was sparked earlier in March this year after Richardson's cronies allegedly bought £500k of cocaine from Ross McGill with fake cash. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox Since then a series of firebomb hits have taken place across the capital with close allies of Richardson having their homes and businesses targeted, with one man attacked with a machete. Scotland's gang war erupted almost three months ago after cronies of Richardson swiped £500k worth of cocaine from McGill in a drug deal scam involving fake notes. McGill's enforcers, a faceless and frightening group named Tamo Junto (TMJ) have claimed credit for a series of violent attacks across the country against Richardson's men. TMJ then declared war on the notorious Glasgow Daniel crime clan as part of their links to Richardson's empire as violence spread across the M8 to Glasgow, with more homes and businesses hit with blaze attacks. We reported previously how masked thugs linked to a crime gang targeted a property on May 10. Footage showed masked thugs smashing windows of the home and forcing themselves inside. Thugs were filmed kicking in the door of a property. The violent scenes were witnessed on the day Mr Big "rejected a truce offer" with his enemies. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. A clip, shared by a group called Tamo Junto who claim to be Mr Big's enforcers, showed masked thugs smashing windows of the property at around 6pm that evening. No one is believed to have been injured in the -incident. A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said of the Monday incident: "We attended after the initial call at 3.56am, we sent two appliances. We left the scene at 6.22am." A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Enquiries are ongoing following reports of two wilful fireraisings in Edinburgh on Monday, 9 June, 2025. "Around 4am police received a report a Range Rover Evoque on Campion Road was on fire. "Both incidents are being treated as suspicious."
Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
Edinburgh 'gangwar firebombing' as car burns outside home of Mark Richardson associate
The car, understood to be a Range Rover, has been pictured completely burnt out on Monday morning in the capital's Campion Road. A plush motor outside the home of an associate of Mark Richardson has been firebombed, in what is believed to be another attack linked to the ongoing gang wars. The car, understood to be a Range Rover, was seen completely burnt out on Monday morning, in the capital's Campion Road. Police have taped off the street as they probe the cause of fire, Edinburgh Live reports. It is understood the car was burned outside a home belonging to a pal of caged Edinburgh kingpin Mark Richardson. This comes after a home on the street was targeted on May 10. A local resident told us: "I was leaving for work street was all shut at 6am with police and fire brigade. A second resident added: "There is still a really strong smell of burning in the air. "It looks like the car exploded as there is barely anything left of it and there is just rubble on the street and outside homes. It doesn't look like any other cars were affected but it was right next to several. "Police have taped off part of the street and look like they're waiting for someone else to arrive at the scene." A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "We attended after the initial call at 3.56am, we sent two appliances. We left the scene at 6.22am." Police Scotland have been approached for comment.
Edinburgh Live
3 hours ago
- Edinburgh Live
New Edinburgh 'gang firebombing' as car burns at home of Mark Richardson associate
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info The shell of a vehicle was seen outside the home of an associate of Mark Richardson as the 'gangland feud' continues in the capital. The car, understood to be a Range Rover, was seen completely burnt out on Monday morning. Police were on the scene, with Campion Road taped off by officers. This comes after a home on the street was targeted on May 10. A local resident told us: "I was leaving for work street was all shut at 6am with police and fire brigade. "Range Rover set on fire through the night Campion Road." A second resident added: "There is still a really strong smell of burning in the air. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox "It looks like the car exploded as there is barely anything left of it and there is just rubble on the street and outside homes. It doesn't look like any other cars were affected but it was right next to several. "Police have taped off part of the street and look like they're waiting for someone else to arrive at the scene." Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "We attended after the initial call at 3.56am, we sent two appliances. We left the scene at 6.22am." Police Scotland have been approached for comment.
