A NOTORIOUS gangland hitman, already serving a 30-year sentence for murder, has been given extra jail time for breaking prison rules.

James McDonald was caught with an unauthorised SIM card in his cell at HMP Glenochil prison.

He has been behind bars since 2007 and will now serve an additional six months.

The hitman gunned down Michael Lyons in a gangland hit job at a garage in Glasgow in 2006.

McDonald, 50, appeared at Alloa Sheriff Court by video-link from jail.

He admitted that on September 12 at HMP Glenochil, he was in possession of an authorised SIM card.

Depute fiscal Sean Iles said prison officers went to carry out a search of McDonald’s cell after receiving a tip-off about the SIM card.

McDonald told the officers “I’ll save you time” and handed over a mobile phone with the SIM card in it.

The court was told the earliest date McDonald can apply for parole is 2037. He was sentenced in 2008 to 35 years but this was reduced to 30 years on appeal.

He was later jailed for nine years for stabbing another prisoner but the court was told this was a concurrent sentence.

Sheriff Neil Bowie told McDonald: “You’re well aware of the rules regarding SIM cards in prison.”

He also noted it was his eighth conviction for this type of offence.

He jailed him for six months to run consecutively to his current term.