A gangland thug who orchestrated a drug trafficking operation from behind bars, following his involvement in an assault on a rival's mother-in-law, has been handed an additional six-year prison sentence. Michael Sutherland, 40, utilized illegal mobile phones while incarcerated to maintain contact with a trusted associate on the outside, which included discussions about arranging a violent attack on a target. However, his activities were uncovered when the associate's phone was seized by police, revealing Sutherland stored under the contact name 'Mick Sutherland'.
Sutherland, reportedly linked to the Lyons crime clan, was already serving a four-year and four-month sentence for his role in a brutal attack on Janette Connell, 69, at her home in Milton, Glasgow, in January 2020. The pensioner, mother of Steven 'Bonzo' Daniel's partner Avril, was struck on the head with a police-style baton while caring for her terminally ill husband.
At the High Court in Glasgow, Sutherland pleaded guilty to being involved in serious organized crime between February 1, 2020, and October 9, 2022. Judge Lord Mulholland stated, 'Prison was not a barrier to your criminal activities, and you are no stranger to the criminal lifestyle.' The judge also imposed a three-year serious crime prevention order, known as a 'super ASBO', to take effect upon Sutherland's release.
The drug dealing began before Sutherland was sentenced for the attack on Bonzo's mother-in-law. He communicated with others using the Encrochat phone network, a system favored by criminals before it was dismantled by law enforcement. Prosecutor Michael Macintosh told the court: 'He engaged in numerous exchanges of messages in which he made arrangements for the supplying of drugs and the management of cash obtained from that activity.' This included Sutherland being offered the opportunity to help someone 'chase up bills', with a 'decent percentage' going to him for sorting out the debt.
Despite being jailed in October 2020 for the assault on the pensioner, Sutherland continued his criminal activities while in HMP Addiewell. Macintosh explained: 'He was seen to have communicated with a named individual from prison using four different telephone numbers. Each of them were saved on this person's phone as either 'M' or in one case 'Mick Sutherland'. Sutherland used these numbers to send text messages and voice notes.' Officers identified Sutherland's voice from recordings, and messages referenced his wife, a watch found on his person, and vehicles linked to him.
There were discussions about stolen cars and fake number plates needed for a vehicle intended for the 'troops'. Sutherland also mentioned that Etizolam, or street Valium, was 'like gold dust' and 'going like wildfire' in prison. He asked his associate to source a powder form of the class C drug. Voice notes revealed arrangements for cannabis shipments and 'scoobs', which refer to diazepam-style tablets.
Macintosh further told the court that Sutherland's associate asked him to arrange an attack on someone. Sutherland requested the address and advised that the usual price for such action was 'a fiver a head', assessed to be £5,000 per person involved in the attack. He offered to negotiate the cost down. In mid-2022, the pair exchanged messages about outstanding debts owed to them.
Sutherland was caught when the other man's mobile was interrogated after being discovered at an address in Lanarkshire in early 2024. Graeme Brown, defending, told the sentencing: 'I can consider this a serious charge which can only be met with a custodial sentence, and Mr Sutherland knows that.'
