Serial car thief John Callaghan jailed after 39 charges and 100mph police chase
A Serial car thief with ties to Scotland’s mob war has been nailed for a one-man crime wave.
Thug John Callaghan, 28, is tonight behind bars after he admitted 39 charges that included a terrifying 100mph chase as he fled from cops in a stolen motor.
His six-month campaign of chaos emerged at Glasgow’s High Court, where he also pled guilty to possessing machetes as well as hurling drugs and six phones over HMP Edinburgh’s walls.
And the banned driver was snared in connection with nicking cars after his DNA was detected by experts on 13 stolen vehicles.
A source told how he has links with caged Edinburgh coke kingpin Mark Richardson, 39 — whose cronies were accused of kicking off the ongoing gangland feud.
They explained: “He is close to the top men in Richardson’s crime crew but he is a one-man nightmare for law enforcement.”
Callaghan previously shared a snap on social media of him with Robert Arthur, 34, who was recently slashed by a rival lag in Glasgow’s Barlinnie jail.
The yob had originally faced 102 charges but pled guilty to 39 offences spanning from December 2024 to May last year.
They included fleeing from the marked patrol car in Edinburgh on March 23 last year.
Prosecutor John Coogan said: “The officers did not pursue the vehicle but began to follow it at a safe distance.”
Cops began a blue-light pursuit but the Ford Fiesta “continued making off at speed”.
Callaghan then raced past the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
Mr Coogan continued: “Police observed a red traffic light with an ambulance coming towards the junction with blue lights on and sirens activated.
“The Fiesta continued head-on with the ambulance on the wrong side of the road before returning to the correct side mid-junction.”
Callaghan then blasted through red lights, causing a near miss.
The advocate depute explained: “Due to the dangerous manner of driving, police were instructed to abandon the vehicle pursuit.”
Later that night the Fiesta was spotted at traffic lights with “three of four males” inside “wearing black clothing and balaclavas”.
The driver tried to flee again but collided with another motor.
Callaghan and others then fled on foot. But tests established his DNA was on the steering wheel. He admitted reset, using a fraudulent registration plate and breaking into 11 homes.
He also pled guilty to having machetes on two occasions plus another car chase.
Judge Lord Arthurson remanded Callaghan in custody but told him a jail term is inevitable when he is sentenced in November.
World Affairs Correspondent
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
