Driver guilty of hitting teen with car in Parkhead

A man’s been found guilty of deliberately driving his car at a teenage boy.

Published 19th Sep 2019

A driver’s been found guilty of deliberately driving his car at a teenage boy.

Declan Murphy hit 19 year-old in May last year.

Jurors heard claims Murphy's young passenger had earlier been stabbed by one of the victim's friends.

The teenager was badly hurt following the attack in Glasgow's Parkhead.

This included a brain injury as well as fractures to his skull, jaw and cheekbone.

Murphy denied attempted murder – but was caught after the full incident was caught on CCTV.

The 24 year-old was convicted following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

Murphy was remanded in custody pending sentencing next month.

Footage played in court showed Murphy swerve his Mazda onto the opposite of the road and smack into the victim.

The 19 year-old told jurors his next memory was waking up in hospital.

The victim had been with two friends that night. They also had to dodge the vehicle.

One was accused of previously attacking a teenage boy in Murphy's car as well as hounding him on social media.

The passenger claimed during the trial the victim “basically ran in front” of the motor.

Prosecutor Liam Ewing put to him the 19 year-old had been “knocked right up into the air” and “above the roof of the car”.

Judge Lord Mulholland stepped in to ask the witness: “Are you saying the car did not hit him?”

The witness: “I just remember him running in front of it and he got hit.”

The passenger insisted he had been “scared” on seeing his alleged attacker.

But, Murphy's advocate John McElroy put to him: “How can you explain what is on the video?”

The witness: “I don't really know.”

Lord Mulholland deferred sentencing for reports.

He told Murphy: “It is plain you drove at a group of young men and it is clear that you intended to do them serious harm. You attempted to murder one of them."