Pair cleared of hit and run bid to murder PCs

TWO men were yesterday acquitted of trying to murder two police officers in a hit and run incident.

David McLean, 31, and Ryan Gilmour, 25, were told they could go free after a jury returned not proven verdicts against them.

They had denied trying to kill PCs Deborah Lawson and Robert Fitzsimmons with a Nissan Qashqai last October.

The two officers sustained serious injuries in the incident in Knightswood, Glasgow.

PC Lawson – who was dragged 48ft – told the High Court in Edinburgh she had thought she was going to die when the pair drove towards her.

Gilmour – who was alleged to have been the driver – had started moving the car towards her as she lay on the ground, the court heard.

Her colleague, PC Fitzsimmons, managed to pull her out of the way of the vehicle.

McLean and Gilmour were arrested after DNA was found on the Qashqai which had been set on fire after the incident.

In the vehicle, detectives also discovered a purse containing a driver’s licence and bank cards, which belonged to a woman who had the surname McLean.

But yesterday, jurors took just over an hour to acquit McLean and Gilmour.

Friends and family members of the pair were asked by court officials to keep quiet after some cheered and clapped after the verdicts were returned.

Judge Lord Summers confirmed to the men, both from Glasgow: ‘You are acquitted of the charges.’

During proceedings, the court heard that PCs Lawson and Fitzsimmons were called to Banner Drive, Knightswood, having heard reports of a disturbance involving youths.

The officers said they saw a Nissan Qashqai moving in a suspicious manner and PC Lawson said she had gone to speak to the driver.

The court heard the driver appeared ‘startled’ and under the influence of a substance.

Prosecutors alleged McLean was sitting in the back of the car and PC Lawson said a man in the back seat was shouting at the driver to drive away.

The police officer said she asked the driver to step out of the vehicle but he refused and started struggling with her.

PC Fitzsimmons told the court he felt he had no option but to use his PAVA incapacitant spray on the men.

PC Lawson described how as she lay on the ground, she was ‘in agony’ and could not move.

She told the court: ‘PC Fitzsimmons grabbed me out of the way. If he didn’t move me, I wouldn’t be here today.

‘I thought I was dead. I thought I was going to die.’

‘I thought I was dead’