Thug is jailed for attack over cash

A VIOLENT thug has been jailed for six months after forcing his way into a man’s car and attacking him.

Christopher McGovern, 27, jumped into Asif Ali’s car on Broomfield Road along with another unknown man after it was blocked in to the street.

He pushed Mr Ali on to the passenger seat and told him “You’re dead”.

A third man, Christopher Barr, 26, was driving the car that blocked Mr Ali’s in and he chased after their victim who ran off into a nearby shop.

It was heard the attack was over money owed to the unknown person by Mr Ali for a car.

McGovern – who appeared from custody – and Barr, from Ruchhill, Glasgow, admitted at the city’s sheriff court to assaulting Mr Ali on June 26, last year.

Sheriff Martin Jones QC jailed McGovern for six months reduced from eight and deferred sentence on Barr until next month.

The court heard yesterday that around 5pm Mr Ali stopped his car on Broomfield Road to go in to a shop.

When he returned he saw another car, driven by Barr, was blocking him in.

Procurator fiscal depute Ruth Ross-Davie said: “Christopher McGovern along with another person got in to Mr Ali’s vehicle.

“He pushed Mr Ali on to the passenger seat and grabbed his legs.

“He made the remark to him ‘you’re dead’, and struggled him with.

“Mr Ali managed to get out his car and it was at that point Barr pursued Mr Ali along the street.”

Mr Ali made his way to a nearby shop where the police were called and CCTV lead the police to Barr’s house when his car was captured on camera.

McGovern was identified by the victim and his fingerprints were on both Barr and Mr Ali’s cars.

Defence lawyer Frank Moore said: “It seems to have been Mr Ali owed money to the other man who was present, to do with a motor vehicle.

“This appears to have been a chance meeting.”

At 19-years-old McGovern was handed a sentence and ordered to be supervised for two years after his release.

McGovern followed security guards in and then pointed what appeared to be a gun at them and made off with two security boxes which contained about £40,000.

He was caught after his fingerprints were found on a cardboard box lying in a nearby doorway.

When officers called at his home in Green Street, Calton, items including a balaclava worn during the raid were discovered.