Strachan’s grandson fled from carjackers, court told

THE grandson of former Scotland and Celtic manager Gordon Strachan yesterday told a jury he ran to his neighbours’ home for safety after being the victim of a carjacking outside his flat.

Luke Strachan, who was 19 and playing for Dundee FC at the time, said he was forced to flee from his VW Golf after he had arrived at his house in the City Quay area on October 28, 2020, and was checking his phone.

He told the jury at Dundee Sheriff Court: ‘A man approached my driver’s-side door. The window was open a little bit and the man asked ‘‘can I get a lift?’’

‘I said, ‘‘no, sorry, I’ve just come back and I’m going in for the night’’.’ They pulled the door of the car open and demanded I get out. I was scared.

‘There was a bit of a struggle. They attempted to pull me out of the car by my clothing. He kept trying to pull harder. I didn’t originally see the second

‘There was a bit of a struggle’

person to start with, but they came into view from around the back of my car.

‘The other person came round the side after I was refusing to leave the car. He pulled the handle of something out of his big jacket and said ‘‘get out’’.

‘I got straight out of the car. The keys were left in the car.’

Mr Strachan, now 23, continued: ‘There were neighbours across the street who were watching what was going on.’

‘They shouted at me to come inside their flat – I assumed for my own safety.’

Mr Strachan said it appeared that the two men ‘couldn’t work the handbrake’ and, after being shouted to that the police were on their way, they ran off.

Mr Strachan, who is currently playing at Brechin City on loan from Cove Rangers, said he identified accused Derek Alland from police mugshots as the first man to approach his car.

Alland, 29, of Dundee, denies assaulting Mr Strachan and robbing him of the vehicle.

The trial, before Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith, continues. Mr Strachan is the son of Celtic firstteam coach Gavin Strachan.