Andrew McGarry: Prisoner cleared of ex-wife murder plot
An architect has been cleared of plotting to kill his ex-wife from his prison cell.
Andrew McGarry, 37, fomerly of Harwood, Bolton was acquitted on Monday of two counts of soliciting to murder.
But a jury at Bolton Crown Court convicted him of three counts of encouraging or assisting in the commission of assault, theft and criminal damage.
McGarry was remanded in custody for sentencing on 6 January 2015.
The prosecution alleged that McGarry had offered up to £50,000 to fellow inmates to set fire to his house to kill his family and neighbour.
It was also claimed he had a "shopping list" of other crimes he wanted committed and had revealed plans of his house and security codes to other prisoners.
But the jury found him not guilty of the murder plot convicting him of lesser charges.
McGarry told the court that he was only sharing his "bad thoughts" because he had been encouraged to do this as part of his therapy for a mental breakdown.
He is serving a jail sentence imposed in 2012 for driving a burning car into his former house where he lived with his ex-wife.