Man claims he was ‘ stitched up’ by police over carjacking

ATHUG who helped carry out t wo t er r i f y i n g carjackings on lone women has been jailed for six years. Brian Kelly reacted angrily towards a judge as he was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow yesterday. The 48- year- old had been convicted after a trial in his absence last month.

Jurors heard how Kelly and two accomplices carried out the crimes within minutes of each other in Bishopbriggs early on April 4, 2018.

One woman was targeted as she went shopping at a local Asda store – before a have- a- go hero HGV driver chased the raiders away.

The trio got away in the second victim’s car, but stalled metres away and had to flee.

Kelly, of the city’s Possil, claimed he had been “stitched up” by police.

Sentencing, Lord Summers praised trucker Stephen Armstrong for coming to the rescue of the woman at Asda.

Kelly was joined in the dock by Ross McLaughlin, who was found guilty of the second robbery. The 34- year- old, of Milton, Glasgow, was jailed for two and a half years.

As they were led to the cells, Kelly yelled insults at the judge calling him a “f***** g w***” and a “f***** g b**”.

Kelly had earlier been convicted of attempted robbery and robbery.

The first victim told how she had just driven her Mini into the car park at the Asda in Bishopbriggs when the trio struck.

The 64- year- old recalled: “One of them told me to ‘ get out the f*** ing car’.”

The woman did not leave and ended up being shoved across the front seats as she desperately clung to her keys.

Two of the thugs tackled her before events turned even more violent.

The woman said: “One was trying to get the keys out of my hand. He started to bite me on the thumb. I got hit on the head, but I do not know who done that.”

Describing the ordeal as “scary”, the witness went on: “I got dragged out the car. I managed to hit the horn with my elbow and I was also screaming.”

The gang managed to get the keys, but it was at this stage trucker Mr Armstrong heard was happening.

CCTV captured him bravely racing across the car park and challenging the thugs.

The trio ran off, but then targeted the second woman in the nearby Murrayfield area of Bishopbriggs.

She was working as a carer and had just returned to her Renault Clio when a “smiling” man came up at her window.

The 41- year- old said: “The door opened, he grabbed me by the neck and told me to ‘ get out the f*** ing car’. I took my seatbelt off and ran.”

As the woman hid behind a bush, she recalled the raiders getting in the Renault.

Jurors went on to hear her hysterical 999 call where she stated “they were obviously watching me”.

The car had a keyless ignition and the victim still had the fob in her pocket. It meant the trio were only able to drive a very short distance before being forced to dump the car in the middle of the road.

After being held, Kelly claimed he had been out that morning with his dogs “rabbit hunting”.

In a rant to police, he stated: “You are framing me. I have never robbed anyone in my f***** g life.

“I do not know where you got that b***** t from.”

Kelly was in court yesterday, but had refused to appear for his trial.