Glasgow thugs snared after uploading ‘graphic’ murder bid footage to Snapchat
Two young thugs were captured on Snapchat[1] carrying out a brutal murder bid on a man.
Christopher McDonald, 18, and Ben French, 19, attacked[2] the 51-year-old at a flat in Thornliebank, East Renfrewshire, on February 5 2023.
The man was stabbed with a large hunting knife as well as being punched, kicked and stamped upon. He remains badly affected by his horrific ordeal which includes now being deaf in one ear.
The duo had each been bailed[3] just three days earlier by a sheriff when they struck.
McDonald and French today both pleaded guilty to an attempted murder charge at the High Court in Glasgow[6]. They will be sentenced later this month.
Prosecutor Ann McNeill today told how police became aware of the attack footage after McDonald sent it to others on his Snapchat contacts list. The clips – described as a “graphic” – were played during the hearing.
They began with a picture of a large blade – which appeared to have blood staining – being shown in front of the camera. The bleeding and wounded victim cowered and groaned in pain as he was set upon.
Miss McNeill: “He was seen with another male – later identified as French – assaulting an older male by repeatedly kicking and punching him on the head and body. There was repeated stamping on his head, brandishing of a knife and repeated stabbing to the buttocks.”
A police probe was launched which included trying to trace the victim. It eventually lead officers to the flat in Thornliebank.
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The victim answered – he was bleeding from “severe” facial injuries as well as wounds to his buttocks. The man told how he had been out the night before in Lanarkshire[8] before going to a bar in Glasgow’s Shawlands[9].
He then got a bus home, but fell asleep during the journey and ending up getting off in the city’s Gorbals. As the man checked the time for the next bus, a man approached and asked for a cigarette.
He believed they went to a nearby pub, but his next memory was when police turned up. The victim needed extensive hospital treatment having suffered multiple fractures to his skull, cheek, jaw as well as eight stab wounds and a punctured lung.
He required two further operations due to an infection. The man has been scarred for life, has permanent numbness on one side of his face and has lost all hearing his left ear.
McDonald was held initially for breaching bail. While he was getting his fingerprints taken, he then stated: “Watch the hand. I punched the c***. Ha, ha.
“F***, there are cameras in here.”
French was also later charged by police.
Lord Clark adjourned sentencing for reports and the pair were detained in custody meantime. The judge said: “You have pleaded guilty to the charge – it is an attempted murder committed while each of you were on bail.
“The graphic footage seen shows the very serious violence used.”
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References
- ^ Snapchat (www.glasgowlive.co.uk)
- ^ attacked (www.glasgowlive.co.uk)
- ^ bailed (www.glasgowlive.co.uk)
- ^ Teen who died in M74 lorry crash named as family pay tribute to Christopher Keenan (www.glasgowlive.co.uk)
- ^ Glasgow motorists baffled as man in suit spotted running along M8 (www.glasgowlive.co.uk)
- ^ High Court in Glasgow (www.glasgowlive.co.uk)
- ^ newsletter here (www.glasgowlive.co.uk)
- ^ Lanarkshire (www.glasgowlive.co.uk)
- ^ Shawlands (www.glasgowlive.co.uk)
- ^ Glasgow Live’s WhatsApp community (www.glasgowlive.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.glasgowlive.co.uk)