‘Stolen car’ clue in cop murder bid

A BURNED-OUT car said to have been used in the alleged attempted murder of two police officers was suspected to have been stolen, a court has heard.

The High Court in Edinburgh was told the 4x4 vehicle was found fire-damaged in a residential area less than two miles away from the incident in Glasgow.

A search of the car later uncovered a purse containing a woman’s driving licence and bank cards, jurors were told.

David McLean, 31, and 25-year-old Ryan Gilmour are on trial for a fourth day in the Scottish capital, where they deny trying to kill two police officers.

They are accused of the attempted murder of Pc Deborah Lawson and fellow constable Robert Fitzsimmons by striking them repeatedly with a car in Banner Drive last October 23.

Detective Constable Stephen McGrath, 33, told the trial he was on night shift on the Sunday in question when he was called to the incident.

On arriving, he was told a member of the public had reported a vehicle on fire in Lennox Gardens. He agreed with Tim Niven-Smith, prosecuting, that police considered the two events might be connected.

He agreed he had “suspicions” about the vehicle because there were no markings on the number plate to indicate which garage it had been bought from.

The court heard the two locations were less than two miles apart and the fire had been put out by the time Mr McGrath arrived at the scene.

The pair are also accused of wilfully setting fire to the vehicle and attempting to pervert the course of justice, charges they deny. The trial continues.