The conman brother of a depraved child-killer is facing jail after admitting his part in a stolen-to-order car-crime racket. Andrew Baird was warned by a judge that he could face a spell behind bars after he admitted the racket in which Mercedes and BMW cars were stolen and then stripped for parts.

Baird held his hands up to nine counts of concealing and transferring stolen motors just moments before he was due to go on trial. A further two counts of concealing and possessing criminal property were left on the books.

No evidence was heard in the case as Baird copped a plea before the trial was due to start at Coleraine Crown Court.

But sources close to the convicted conman revealed that he had been working with TWO gangs of car thieves — one on each side of the border — to steal cars to order . . . just like the Hollywood blockbuster Gone In 60 Seconds.

Baird paid out about £600-a-time to car thieves for the stolen cars and then sold them on to dealers or breakers yards for parts for as much as £5,000 each.

Said a source: “He has been raking in a serious amount of money with this racket.”

Sunday Life understands that Baird escaped prosecution two years ago when a former associate was convicted after being caught in a stolen car . . . with Baird’s trade plates in the boot.

Baird (38), whose address was given as Drumraw Lane, Portglenone, will learn in January if he is going to jail. He has already been warned to expect a prison stretch.

Among the stolen vehicles that cops were able to link to Baird to were an Audi A3, two Mercs, a BMW and a Mitsubishi 4x4. He was also caught with a series of stolen licence plates that were to be used on ringed vehicles.

Baird had committed the offences between July 2006 and January last year, while his brother was still behind bars serving the final days of his life sentence for kicking a two-year-old boy to death in a drink-and-drug-fuelled rage.

Andy Baird gave his younger brother David (37) a roof over his head when he finally walked free from Maghaberry at the end of last year.

But, according to sources, the older brother grew jealous of his killer sibling’s growing friendship with his then partner and turfed him out of his Co Antrim home.

Said one source: “It’s probably just as well he moved away from his brother, because if he kept hanging around with the likes of him he could find himself back behind bars for breaching his own licence conditions.”

Sunday Life understands that the woman has since distanced herself from both brothers and denied that she had cheated on her ex-partner with his brother.

Baird no longer works at the yard he rented on the outskirts of Portglenone.

When Sunday Life tracked him down to a remote property outside Broughshane he refused to discuss his court case.

He ran off inside the bungalow before we could ask him about the breakdown in his relationship with his killer brother.

David Baird served 16 years of a life sentence for the horrific murder of defenceless Philip Carton.

He kicked and punched the two-year-old to death in a sustained attack after being left to look after him while his then-partner went shopping.