A COACH driver revealed today that he wanted lifetime protection from a fellow driver who tried to hire a hitman to murder him.

Paul Logan, of Acomb, York, said he intended applying for a life-long injunction, banning Anthony Ferrant from going anywhere near him or his wife, Annette.

He was speaking after Ferrant was jailed for six years yesterday for soliciting Harrogate tattooist Martin Blythe to kill him.

Ferrant, 50, of Gale Lane, who had agreed to write off the remaining £2,000 of a loan if Blythe carried out the killing, claimed he had been having an affair with Annette Logan and just wanted to scare her husband off.

But Annette told the Evening Press last month she had never had an affair and Andrew Haslam, defending, told Bradford Crown Court yesterday that if newspaper reports were to be believed, Ferrant was infatuated with her and the affair claims may have been pure fantasy.

He said when Ferrant was released, he had been told he could get work again, based primarily in Spain where he could make a fresh start.

Mr Logan, who drove Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott's battlebus during the General Election campaign, said last night he did not believe a six-year sentence was long enough and he had concerns that Ferrant might still pose a threat on his release.

"If Tony is of a mind to hire a friend to kill another friend, I don't think he would think twice about doing something himself upon his release as some sort of revenge for not getting away with it this time," he claimed. "He harbours grudges. I don't feel he will serve his time and let things lie.

"There's an element of worry, but I won't spend my life being scared. But I do want to protect my family.

"Therefore I shall be applying for a life-long injuction banning him from coming anywhere near me or my family."

York solicitor Simon Black, of Harrowell Shaftoe, told the Evening Press that injunctions were made under the Protection from Harassment Act, where there had been repeated cases of harassment and there was a continuing threat.

But he doubted whether the couple would be able to obtain one against Ferrant at this stage.

Annette Logan said today she had been traumatized by everything that had happened.

"He's lied in court, lied to his kids and shown no remorse. It's not forgivable. I'll never forget, but I just hope time heals," she said.

Det Chief Insp Pat Twiggs, of York CID, who investigated the case, said he was pleased with the conviction and sentence. "It sends out a message to anyone else considering embarking on this type of venture," he said.

Updated: 10:44 Saturday, November 12, 2005