Murder trial told victim held 'grudge' against suspect

Tony Ferns, pictured with his mother Phyllis, died after he was repeatedly stabbed in Thornliebank, near Glasgow, in April 2019

A man held a "grudge" against one of the suspects accused of murdering him, a court has heard.

Tony Ferns, 33, died after he was repeatedly stabbed in Thornliebank, near Glasgow, in April 2019.

Raymond Platt, 56, Craig Colquhoun, 39, Robert Park, 69, and Joseph McCulloch, 50, deny the charges against them at the High Court in Glasgow.

On the first day of the trial, the victim's mother Phyllis Ferns told the court how her son held a "grudge" against one of the men accused of killing him - Robert Park, who was known as Rab.

The court heard about a number of incidents between the pair before a "truce" was called.

Police officers cordoned off the area on Crebar Street after the murder in 2019

Ms Ferns said her son believed Mr Park was responsible for the injuries her older son, Mark, had suffered when he was knocked down by a car in 2012.

She said the incident changed his life mentally and physically.

Mark, who was registered blind, later died in 2017.

She told the court how her son thought Mr Park had "made the phone call" that brought the car into the street and knocked down his brother.

Mr Park has denied this.

The witness agreed there was "bad blood" between the pair.

Ms Ferns said the two men met at a bookmakers in 2017 and her son asked for a truce because she had been "worried".

She claimed her son said Mr Park had told him: "You were getting murdered - I'll make the phone call and call them off."

The court also heard evidence from David Mitchell, who said he was Mr Ferns' best friend.

He told the court about an incident where he and Mr Ferns were attacked in 2018.

Mr Mitchell said they were in a van when two men came at them with swords and bats.

The witness claimed Mr Ferns believed one of the men was Mr Park and they were later told the other man was Joseph McCulloch, but this was not confirmed.

Mr Park and Mr McCulloch deny attacking the two men.

'Put in the ground'

He also told police about a separate occasion he had heard about between Mr Ferns and Mr Park.

Mr Mitchell said: "He (Tony) jumped out of his car and had a few words with Rab and he ended up punching Rab a few times.

"He said Rab made some threats and told Tony 'he was getting put in the ground'."

He said Mr Ferns was worried about the situation and had mentioned it a lot.

The witness said that on the day before Mr Ferns died, he told Mr Mitchell that a car driven by Mr McCulloch went past the house he lived in with his mother.

When asked about the speed, he said the car was "crawling".

Mr Park's lawyer Tony Graham said it was apparent Mr Ferns blamed Mr Park for what happened to his brother, but this was "utterly irrational".

Mr Mitchell replied: "Who am I to say? I do not know the ins and outs."

The advocate stated Mr Ferns was "absolutely fixated" on Mr Park and spoke about him every night.

However the witness denied this.

It was claimed Mr Park had to move house due to the situation.

The trial, before judge Lord Fairley, continues.