Ayrshire garage owner saw Mr Scotland murder accused 'with knife'

An Ayrshire garage owner yesterday told a jury that he saw the man accused of murdering Mr Scotland bodybuilding champion with a bloodstained knife in his right hand.

Ian Hamilton, 40, from Saltcoats, Ayrshire, was giving evidence at the trial of Steven Kirkwood, 44, who denied murdeirng Michael O'Hanlon by stabbing him with a knife or similar instrument at HK Autotak garage in Stevenson on July 25, last year.

He said: “It was a large Bowie type knife with a six to eight inch blade with a bright coloured handle. A Rambo serrated on one side.”

Mr Hamilton,who owns HK Autotek, told prosecutor Richard Goddard that as he was in the office having his lunch around middday, Kirkwood drove up and walked in.

He told the jury in the High Court in Glasgow that about a minute later Michael who was 5ft 10in and 17 stones turned up with Forbes Cowan, a past runner-up in the World's Strongest Man competition, who is 6ft 3in and at the time weighed around 20 stones.

Mr Hamilton said: “Mr Cowan entered the office first and requested for Mr Kirkwood to come outside. There were heated words exchanged between the two of them and Mr Cowan attempted to remove Mr Kirkwood.

The court has already heard that abusive texts and Facebook messages had been exchanged between Kirkwood and his ex Eileen O'Hanlon in the days before Michael's death.

The garage owner went on: “After the exchange Forbes appeared to back away from the door at which point Michael came through the door and had a conflict with Steven. They were embroiled in a fight.

“Michael charged through the door with his head down and came at Steven. They tussled, it was a scrummage. It was a wrestle for five seconds.”

Mr Goddard asked: “What happened next,” and Mr Hamilton replied: “Michael backed up out the office stumbling backwards. At that point I saw Steven had a knife in his right hand.”

Mr Hamilton said he did not know where the knife came from and added: “I saw blood on the entrance door to the office. I saw blood on the knife.”

Mr Goddard asked: “What did he do with the knife before Mr O'Hanlon left,” and Mr Hamilton replied: “I don't know.”

He was then asked if he saw Kirkwood swinging blows towards Michael and replied: “I recall him flinging blows. I was unaware at the time there was a knife in his hand.”

Mr Hamilton was asked how many blows he saw landed and said: “I don't know. I certainly didn't count.”

He said it was more than one blow and told the jury that he thought the blows landed on Michael's lower abdomen.

The court heard that when Mr Hamilton went outside he saw Michael was lying on the ground outside.

Defence QC Derek Ogg said to Mr Hamilton: “The only way Steven Kirkwood was going out of that office was through Mr O'Hanlon and Mr Cowan,” and he replied: “Yes.'

Mr Ogg then asked if both Michael and Kirkwood had exchanged blows during the struggle and Mr Hamilton replied: “Yes.”

The jury also heard Cowan's Nissan Outlander with a personalised number plate was blocking the entrance to the garage before it was moved to allow access for an ambulance.

Kirkwood denies stabbing and killing Mr O'Hanlon, in Stevenston, North Ayrshire, in July, last year.

The attack is said to have occurred at HK Autotek in the town's Moorpark Industrial Estate.

Prosecutors allege that Kirkwood struggled with Mr O'Hanlon, punched him and repeatedly struck him on the body with a knife or similar item.

Kirkwood also denies separate charges of having a knife in a public place and attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of it.

Kirkwood has lodged a special defence of self defence.

The trial before judge Lady Rae continues.