Man faces life for murder of father on city street
A MAN was yesterday convicted of the murder of father-of-one Stephen McGinlay in a busy street in broad daylight.
Twenty- one- year- old Liam Strang was found guilty of stabbing Mr McGinlay in the neck with a knife or piece of glass in St George’s Road, Glasgow, on October 2, last year. The murder weapon has never been found.
His co-accused Brian Gallacher, 18, was convicted of the culpable homicide of Mr McGinlay.
Both men were also found guilty of assaulting Ryan Mason by pursuing him and hitting him on the head with a bottle.
Strang, who is facing life imprisonment, and Gallacher will be sentenced next month at the High Court in Livingston.
As he was led away to the cells Strang shouted to friends and family in the public gallery: ‘Some you win and some you lose.’
Throughout their trial at the High Court in Glasgow both men denied killing Stephen.
Advocate depute Alex Prentice, QC, handed judge John Morris, QC, victim impact statements from Mr McGinlay’s family.
Mr Prentice said: ‘Mr McGinlay had a daughter and it is her first birthday today. The family was reluctant to have the life support machine switched off, such was their sense of devastation.’
Mr McGinlay, 26, was stabbed in the neck as he walked along St George’s Road, Glasgow. The neck wound cut two major blood vessels. Despite being fatally injured he managed to stagger into a nearby chip shop for help.
During the trial no motive emerged for the killing.
Part of the attack was seen on CCTV footage. The jury was shown a car stopping and Strang and Gallacher getting out the car and putting up their hoods.
After the killing they got back in the car and were driven off.
The trial was told Strang and Gallacher were arrested as part of the Operation Harrosh probe into the killing.
Defence counsel Neil Murray, QC, for Strang and John Scott, QC, for Gallacher will give their pleas in mitigation next month.