Not proven verdict for pair tried for attempting to murder police

Two men have been acquitted of using a “stolen” 4x4 jeep to run over two police officers in what prosecutors claimed was an attempted murder bid.

David Mclean, 31, and Ryan Gilmour, 25, were told they could go free yesterday after a jury returned not proven verdicts against the pair at the High Court in Edinburgh.

The duo stood trial on the allegation that they tried to kill Pcs Deborah Lawson and Robert Fitzsimmons with a Nissan Qashqai in Glasgow’s Banner Drive in October last year.

The court heard PC Lawson say she thought she was going to die when the pair drove the vehicle towards her.

She had been dragged a total of 14.5 metres after the duo allegedly refused to get out of the car to speak to the officers.

The court heard how as she lay on the ground, Gilmour, who was said to have been the driver, started moving the car towards her.

Her colleague PC Fitzsimmons shouted ‘Debbie’ and pushed her out of the way of the Qashqai.

The pair sustained serious injuries and needed hospital treatment. Colleagues of the two officers launched an urgent investigation.

They arrested Mclean and Gilmour after finding their DNA on the Qashqai which had been set fire in the moments following the attempted murder bid.

Police also discovered a purse which contained a driver’s licence and bank cards in the vehicle which belonged to a woman who had the same surname as Mclean.

Jurors took just over an hour to return verdicts of acquittal against the two men.