Kenny Dalglish hand grenade plot organised from prison, Liverpool crown court hears

Feb 3 2010 by Ben Rossington, Formby Times

A PLOT to attack a Merseyside businessman that ended with the home of LFC legend Kenny Dalglish surrounded by the bomb squad was orchestrated by a convict from inside prison.

Mark Johnston sent chilling text messages from his prison cell to two would-be bombers on the outside as they planned to throw a grenade into the home of John Ball who was set to be a witness in a court case the next day.

Johnston, 21, formerly of MacQueen Street, Old Swan, sent the texts to Carl Higgins who went with Simon Ignacio to Mr Ball’s home on Selworthy Road, Birkdale, with the grenade wrapped in a plastic bag.

The July 26 attack was the night before Mr Ball was due to be a witness in a criminal case at Liverpool Crown Court.

His house, and several of his businesses, had been attacked previously so he hired a security guard who saw the pair approach the house.

Realising they had been spotted, they walked off, with Ignacio shoving something into the shrubbery outside the home of Dalglish.

Police in the area caught Higgins and Ignacio nearby and later found the live British Army-issue grenade.