A PRISONER claims police asked him to gather intelligence on a Horwich inmate who was plotting to kill his ex-wife and children.

Colin Brady, who described himself as a "fixer" in HMP Forest Bank, also told Bolton Crown Court that press coverage of the trial of architect Andrew McGarry had put his life in danger.

McGarry is accused of offering £50,000 to fellow prisoners to arrange a house fire to kill his ex-wife Heather and their children.

He allegedly plotted to kill them from his cell — after being jailed for driving a burning car into the front of his wife's home.

Mr Brady said a lot of prisoners would come to him if they had problems — which he said he would endeavour to solve through "diplomacy" and never violence.

He said reporting from the ongoing trial detailing the "nature" of his work and the people he had helped "put away" had endangered his life.

Mr Brady added: "My life is in danger. I was approached this morning by prison staff who asked me which prison in the country I wanted to go to because of this."

The court also heard that McGarry became a target at Forest Bank, and was referred to as a "nonce" and would regularly be pelted with books and other items in the prison's workshop.

Mr Brady also said McGarry was "in awe" of him.

The prisoner also said that "select policing" — including the cooperation between himself and GMP — had been the subject of a dossier sent to Home Secretary Theresa May and Labour leader Ed Miliband.

He said in court that police visited him in prison in March, 2013 and asked him to gather information on McGarry's intentions.

Mr Brady told the court that McGarry approached a fellow inmate, James Plaice, and told him he wanted Mr Plaice to smash his wife's windows to frighten her.

Mr Plaice laughed this off, referring to McGarry as a mug — as he would simply pretend to carry out the work in exchange for money.

McGarry then stepped up his demands and asked Plaice to kill his ex-wife, eventually offering £50,000 for a house fire killing Heather McGarry and her children.

Mr Brady said he reported this to the prison service, who referred the matter to police. He also wrote to Mrs McGarry, warning her of her husband's intentions.

The case continues.