The Enforcer: How we caught the XYY mob

Oct 5 2008

WALTER NORVAL masterminded a string of violent armed robberies at post offices, banks and hospitals across the west of Scotland in 1976 and 1977.

Crooks tried to cheat justice by intimidating witnesses and tried to burn down the High Court before Norval's trial.

GRAEME PEARSON was in the Serious Crime Squad team that saw the XYY gang jailed.

In The Enforcer, he reveals why the gang got their name and how a robber risked his life by turning against his pals.

THEY were violent men prepared to shoot, assault and threaten ordinary people going about their everyday business. They were career criminals hell-bent on becoming rich and famous.

We had partial identities of robbers. We also had forensic evidence - fingerprints, paint, hairs and fibres linked to different scenes. But what we needed was a suspect.

Finally, and crucially, we had a statement identifying a car linked with Walter Norval that had been seen after a robbery.

What I needed was evidence and witnesses.

Our break came withinmonths and in the most unlikely of ways. Three of the gang went to raid a post office in Buckie, just north of Aberdeen.

They had intended to steal car tax discs, TV licences and stamps to get extra spending money - any cash they found would be a bonus.

I was dragged from bed to be told Phil Henry, Fred O'Hara and Alan Barbour were in custody in Buckie. Any of thesemen would have been a great capture - catching all three was amazing.

Myself and colleague Willie Kelly were stunned when one of the men decided to talk.

As the hours passed, Phil relaxed as he realised that, though we knew he was a player, he was not our main target. At one point in our discussion he said he had decided to assist us.

Phil had had enough of life on the run. He had done a great deal of the preparatory work to identify targets and the best method of carrying out specific robberies. He obviously felt he had received no recognition for his efforts from the rest of the gang.

Finally, and fatefully, some gang members had ridiculed his partner and this had got to him. He reckoned it was payback time.

We could not believe our luck. Phil wanted to take Willie and me out to the Old Kilpatrick Hills where we could recover Norval's gun and some money stolen during the robberies.

It was 10 o'clock on the morning of Sunday, August 28, 1977, that Willie, Phil and I began the climb up the hills in search of the money and guns. Willie and I realisedwe had not come properly dressed but we didn't want to cause a delay in case Phil changed his mind and retracted his evidence.

He knew, in deciding to speak out against his criminal friends, his old lifestyle was at an end and he would remain a target until the day he died.

He was willing to plead guilty to his crimes but was clear he was never going to take the blame for other criminals' activities or their crimes.

Weknew, behind the scenes, there were huge pressures being brought to bear to subvert our investigation.

Witnesses were living in fear and, as quickly as we could get evidence, alibis were being constructed.

Years later, in a letter from prison after his conviction, Phil toldme he had considered escaping during our day out. He was as fit as a fiddle and, given our unsuitable footwear and clothes, he could have easily ran.

Phil led us to near the top of the hills. He pointed to a path next to a tree where he had buried a bag with cash and a shotgun, which had been given to him by Norval.

Willie and I were tired but overjoyed that, after months of hard work, we knew we were well on our way to halting this Glasgow gang.

Norval's empire crumbled under the weight of evidence collected after Phil's voluntary statement.

Norval and eight associates were arrested. Some of the accused involved in earlier trials also faced charges relating to the later cases.

Because of the massive media interest, there was a real danger that a jury would be aware of decisions or evidence given in earlier trials.

So the Crown decided to tag all of the accused with a particular letter to ensure they could receive a fair trial individually.

This is the real reason they became known as the XYY mob.

During this time, Phil had placed himself "on protection" at Barlinnie Prison. This was usually provided to sex offenders but later Phil told me about the intimidation he faced during the run-up to the trials.

As well as keeping himself locked up in his cell all day, Phil refused to eat prison meals as he expected them to be contaminated or spat upon. He had to survive on a diet of chocolate bars for almost a year in Barlinnie.

There were also scuffles outside his cell and notes passed under his door. These notes threatened him, his family and his girlfriend if he gave evidence for the prosecution.

Others made him various offers if he did the "right thing". As the trials approached, there was much speculation in the city that Phil would not make it to court.

No one, other than Phil himself, knew exactly what he was going to do or say. The underworld let it be known that Phil was going into the box to scupper the prosecution case in front of the jury.

There was yet more high drama on the eve of the trials.

I was woken early on Monday morning by a call from my boss, John Blincow. "They've tried to burn down the High Court," he said.

I arrived to find the fire service still hosing down and clearing up.

Most of the Serious Crime Squad were there, as were senior detectives.

It was clear a fire had been started deliberately. It was an attempt to destroy evidence stored in the court.

Later, the forensic exam proved an accelerant had been used in the fire. Although badly damaged, the North Court could be saved.

Fortunately, all our productions from the trials were safe. The authorities were increasingly determined to show the course of justice could not be diverted.

Our cases against those known now as the XYY mob were to go ahead in the South Court.

By the time Phil stepped into the witness box to give evidence, you could have heard a pin drop in the concourse of the building.

He was brought directly into the court away from the other prisoners and marched between two police officers.

He was returning to face his fellow gang members - to give evidence against them. Phil began to tug nervously on his beard. He admitted all the charges he was facing and started to outline his evidence against his former gang.

Although hesitant at first, Phil soon showed his mettle. He revealed everything he knew about the accused and the most damaging was about Norval.

By the time a confident - and even triumphant - Phil had finished, he could have taught top lawyers the best way to deliver devastating evidence.

When I saw him a few days later, he was calmand collected.

He felt that, if he was to have any future, he needed to put the trial behind him.

The effect of his evidence on the XYY mob was clear to see.

These loud, confident jokers became quiet and sullen.

Along with everyone involved in the case, they knew our evidence, the various witnesses' identifications and the small pieces of forensic evidence was not sufficient to get convictions.

But, when this was put alongside Phil's damaging testimony, there was clearly enough.

Waiting for the jury's decision is never an easy time. The defence had presented allegations against the police ranging from corruption to incompetence and a series of alibis designed to confuse the jury.

Finally, the jury foreman returned with guilty verdicts against Norval and five co-accused.