Masked gunman jailed for 9 and a half years for attempted murder

A masked gunman who shot at a 27-year-old car driver in a terrifying broad daylight murder bid has been jailed for nine and a half years.

Steven Nelson, 28, from Drumchapel, Glasgow, admitted attempting to murder Christopher Beaton by firing a shotgun at him in Kingsway Court, Glasgow, on May 20, last year.

He also pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a shotgun.

Judge Lady Stacey told Nelson:"I take the view you are a danger to the public and may remain so.”

She ordered Nelson to be monitored in the community for three years after his release from jail.

Defence QC Donald Findlay said: “The conduct involved is, of course, not acceptable. There are ways of solving a dispute and this isn't one of them/

“This was to be something of a frightener and things went badly wrong.”

The High Court in Glasgow heard Mr Beaton was only saved from serious injury because he ducked as the shot was fired.

The left shoulder area of the driver's seat was damaged and some pellets smashed into the head rest and the rear passenger window.

Ballistics experts said that the damage to Mr Beaton's car was caused by a a single discharge from a 12 bore shotgun.

Prosecutor Liam Ewing told the court: “The accused held the shotgun with one hand and pointed it towards Mr Beaton, who instinctively ducked out of the way as Mr Nelson discharged the shotgun at him.”

Mr Beaton, who was at the wheel of his black Audi, pressed the accelerator and his car shot forward striking a parked car and a tree.

The red Audi in which Nelson, who has previous convictions for assault and possession of a machete, was a backseat passenger sped off and was found burnt out in Queen's View car park near Blanefield.

The incident took place around 6pm. Mr Beaton was parked in Kingsway Court and his friend Christopher Bonner stopped parallel to him and they began chatting through their respective driver's windows.

As they did so a red Audi A3 drove past and then carried out a U-turn. Mr Bonner moved his car to let the red Audi pass.

The driver of the red Audi stopped beside Mr Bonner's car. The driver's window of it was down and the rear passenger window was partially down and the driver of the car and the four others in the car all had their faces partially covered with t-shirts.

The A3 driver asked Mr Bonner: “Are you Packie's mate or pa?” and he replied: “No mate, I'm no fae here. I'm fae Greenock.”

The driver then asked Mr Beaton: “Are you Chrissy Beaton?” and he replied: “Aye, how.”

The court heard that the A3 driver then moved his head to the left and Nelson, who was sitting behind him, put a shotgun was put through the driver's window and fired a single shot.

Nelson claimed to police that the driver's window in his VW Golf had been smashed earlier that day with a wheel brace by someone in a black Audi. He told officers his head was cut by flying glass and he drove off through a hedge and roadworks.

Nelson showed no emotion as he was led away to begin his sentence.