Two convicted paedophiles who exchanged sick letters from behind bars discussing how they could rape and murder children face possible life sentences.
Paul Hannah, 37, and Robert Aitman, 35, were told by judge Lord Beckett he was having them assessed to see if they met the criteria for orders for lifelong restriction.
The judge had previously heard how the despicable duo had previously been cellmates before ending up in separate prisons.
The pair were also subject to strict Sexual Offences Prevention Orders due to their previous crimes.
However, the High Court in Glasgow heard earlier this year that for almost seven months in 2020, the pair flouted their SOPO orders repeatedly secretly writing to one another.
Details of what was written emerged at the hearing.
They included Hannah discussing harming a child and then arranging to "snuff a kid" out and "disposing" of the body, while he also urged Aitman to try and convince a judge he was "not a danger”.
Aitman meantime spoke of "going online to talk with people with kids" and how he missed being Hannah's "co-pilot".
The pair both pled guilty to breaching the SOPO the terms, which included an order not to contact other sex offenders.
Lord Beckett deferred sentence on the pair for reports. But at hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh on Friday, the judge concluded the pair’s previous offending combined with the circumstances surrounding the current offence, meant that the pair might be eligible for Orders for Lifelong Restriction.
These orders mean that they will only be released after the parole board is satisfied they no longer pose a threat to public safety.
Lord Beckett told the pair: “I consider that each of you has committed an offence which is such that it may show that each of you may have a propensity to commit sexual offences.
“I consider that there was a significant sexual aspect to your behaviour in committing these offences such as that you are both liable to notification requirements on the charge that you face.
“I must make a risk assessment order if I consider that the risk criteria maybe met. The risk criteria are that the nature of or the circumstances of the offences to which the convicted person is found guilty either in themselves or as part of a pattern of behaviour as such to demonstrate that there is a likelihood that if he is at liberty then he will seriously endanger the lives of or the physical or psychological well being of members of the public at large.
“Having considered the circumstances of the offences in the light of your previous convictions and noting all of the information within the Criminal Justice Social Work report and recognising that each of you challenge the material aspect in those reports, I consider the risk criteria maybe met in each case.”
At a previous hearing, Lord Beckett heard how Hannah claimed the first covid lockdown had left him feeling "isolated" and that was why he wrote the letters to Aitman.
Hannah had originally been jailed in 2017 for having indecent images of children. He was then hit with the SOPO a year later.
Aitman - also known as McNab - was given the same order in 2020. He also had convictions for having child abuse images and other related offences.
Hannah latterly ended up in Barlinnie prison with Aitman in Low Moss in Bishopbriggs.
Prosecutor Adrian Stalker told how staff at Low Moss became aware in late 2020 that Aitman had letters detailing sexual offences.
A total of five addressed to Aitman and signed by Hannah were seized.
A further five were then found in Hannah's Barlinnie cell, which had been sent by Aitman. They were written and sent between May 25, and December 5, 2020.
In the first read by Mr Stalker, it included Hannah asking if Aitman was "still up for getting together" when they get out.
Aitman replied stating he had spoken to "a couple of women" and that they would apparently have his children.
He went on: "Why don't you look into moving into Paisley or somewhere near, so you are not living too far away from me.
"We could go online to try and talk to people with kids. I miss being your co-pilot."
Hannah went on to state to Aitman: "You need to try and convince the judge you are not a danger.”
He also mentioned both having been in the press and that the "best thing" would be to "move away" and "change your name".
The letters went on to describe and discuss children.
This included Hannah writing about getting rid of any "evidence".
He said: "I've had discussions with a few guys, and they have no issue with snuffing a kid and disposing of them. How do you feel about that?"
The pair will next appear in court on July 19.
