Two jailed after grenade left outside Dalglish's house in botched attack

The target was a neighbour and Dalglish, 58, was not at the property, in Birkdale, near Southport.

A gang of thugs were planning to launch the grenade through the living room window of businessman John Ball, who was at home with his children, Liverpool Crown Court heard.

Three men were said to have arranged the intended bombing in a bid to pressure Mr Ball not to give evidence in an impending court case.

They allegedly used a prisoner in Liverpool jail to orchestrate the attack and he contacted drug dealer Carl Higgins, 29, by text to find another man to throw the grenade for 500. Higgins recruited unemployed criminal Simon Ignacio, 28.

When Ignacio and Higgins were disturbed they fled but Ignacio left the grenade in shrubbery.

Higgins was jailed for five years and Ignacio for four and a half after admitting conspiracy to cause damage and being reckless to whether life would be endangered.