Shooting charges dropped

Published 11 Aug 2010 09:30

By Ewan McInnes

THE attempted murder of a man shot in Barrhead is still to be solved - three years after he was attacked.

Hugh Boyd, brother of dead gangland boss Stewart ‘Specky’ Boyd, was reported to have gone into hiding having being shot at five times in broad daylight while sitting in his Vauxhall Corsa on Southpark Avenue.

Three men, aged 29, 26 and 18, were charged in relation to the shooting of Boyd on August 29, 2007.

However, it has been revealed to the Barrhead News that the three men who appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court in January 2008 have had the charges against them dropped.

A Crown Office spokesperson said: “The Procurator Fiscal at Glasgow received a report concerning three men in relation to the incident.

“As a result, proceedings were raised at Glasgow Sheriff Court, where all three appeared on petition in January 2008.

“They made no plea, or declaration and were released on bail.

“Following further investigation and after full and careful consideration of all of the facts and circumstances, Crown Counsel instructed that the proceedings should be discontinued.”

Detective Inspector Scott McMillan, who is involved in the investigation, said enquiries into the shooting are ongoing while police continue to probe the three-year-old murder bid.

And while Strathclyde Police would not reveal if they are close to charging any suspects they have not ruled out re-appealing to witnesses in relation to the shooting.

Boyd, who was 48 at the time of the hit, was struck in the neck and suffered grazes from the bullets.

The attempt on his life came only two months after gunmen targeted him and his brother Eddie in separate shootings only 36 hours apart.

Eddie and his dog were blasted at while walking through a park in the Pollok area and Hugh was targeted at his home in Darnley.

The Boyd family were back in the spotlight last week when a national newspaper carried a story about a woman who claimed to be an associate of Stewart ‘Specky’ Boyd.

Stewart Boyd was thought to have run his operation from bases in Barrhead and Neilston.

He was killed in a car crash in Marbella seven years ago and is buried in Neilston Cemetery.

Tweet

This article appeared in Barrhead News 11 Aug 10

Follow @barrheadnews

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.