A former market trader turned "surveillance expert" hired by criminals worried they were being spied upon had two years added to his prison sentence today.The 53-year-old - who had been the director of a private investigation firm - used the handle "bug-sweep" on the EncroChat phone network once favoured by crime mobs. A judge heard how Sweeney was also the "middle man" in lucrative drug trafficking.
Judge Lord Colbeck topped up his current prison sentence by a further two years which will run consecutively to his present jail term. Prosecutor Margaret Barron told how Sweeney "developed a reputation within criminal circles" of being able to get information on certain individuals including tracing where they could be found.
Miss Barron: "He advised that although he was based in Scotland, he travelled all over the UK to conduct his activities. Sweeney stated he worked for a "professional counter surveillance and intelligence company" employed "throughout the world" for banks and energy firms.One associate - thought to be London-based - later got in touch stating he wanted two or three cars checked for "scanners and bugs asap".Shown a photo of the device, Sweeney replied: "Its not coppers mate. Cheap eBay one.