Seven men jailed for 'brutal' doorstep murder

Neil Canney was shot on his doorstep while his family hid inside the home

Seven men have been jailed for the "brutal" murder of a 37-year-old man who was shot on his mother's doorstep as terrified relatives took cover inside.

Neil Canney, 37, thought a friend was among a group standing outside the property on Nairn Road in Greenock, Inverclyde.

But when he opened the door eight bullets were fired inside the house and one hit him in the head.

Following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow, Jack Benson, 24, Dale Russell, 31, Martin McCusker, 41, Brendan Balloch, 25, Kieran Hendry, 26, and Michael Munro, 27, were convicted of murder.

Kieran Meechan, 29, had pleaded guilty to the same charge before the trial started.

The other six were also found guilty of attempted murder.

Jack Benson (left) and Brendan Balloch (right) - two of the seven men convicted of murder

Lady Drummond said she had read emotional impact statements from Mr Canney's relatives which "describe in detail their utter heartbreak at their loss".

She said the victim had "no possible route" to escape or defend himself when confronted by the gunman.

The judge added: "This was a brutal attack planned in advance

"Your actions showed utter indifference to everybody in that house.

"Use of firearms to commit murder must be deterred and penalties enforced must be appropriate to achieve that."

Lady Drummond jailed serial offender Russell for 24 years, McCusker for 23 years and Benson for a minimum of 20 years.

Balloch, Hendry and Munro were all handed minimum 21 years terms, while Meechan was sentenced to 17 years due to his guilty plea.

Prosecutors said it was not known who had pulled the trigger but that the assailants had all teamed up in a "criminal plan".

Mr Canney, who was a father, was targeted at about 01:15 on 28 February 2023 and died from his injuries in the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.

Mr Canney was fatally injured on Nairn Road in Upper Larkfield, Greenock

His mother, Georgina Canney, told the trial how he had been staying with her at the time of the attack.

Her elder son, David, and other relatives had also been there that evening.

The 62-year-old described how her granddaughter had noticed people in the street.

The care assistant told jurors: "I looked out. There were five figures at the bottom of the stairs and one at the side of my car on a bike."

She said Mr Canney went to the door, believing one of the group was a friend, but then she heard a series of loud bangs and immediately "grabbed" two children who were in the house.

The court heard how she called on her granddaughter to "get everyone on the floor" in the kitchen and they hid behind a freezer.

Ms Canney recalled that her son was lying on the hall floor on his front with "a lot of blood about".

Despite being a first-aider, she said she had been too traumatised to turn him onto his back.

Mr Canney died from a single gunshot wound to the head, though prosecutor Alan Cameron said eight bullets had been fired into the house.

He said: "It is simply not possible, on the evidence we have, to say with any degree of certainty who fired the gun."

Martin McCusker (left) and Dale Russell (right) - the latter attempted to headbutt a police officer in court

The court heard that Benson had transported Russell and McCusker in his car from Lanarkshire to take part in the shooting and then help them escape.

It was claimed he had later lied to police in a bid to cover up his involvement in cocaine dealing.

Russell was said to have boasted about what happened. There was further evidence of £40 being received for "a good turn".

Gunshot residue was discovered on items of clothing of a number of the gang – including on designer jackets belonging to Munro and Hendry.

After the verdicts, Mr Cameron revealed all of those on trial - other than Hendry and Munro - had criminal records.

Russell had the worst, including a number of crimes of violence as well as robbery.

In a rare turn of events, the trial went ahead without Russell in the dock following chaotic scenes before evidence began.

On one occasion he had to be physically hauled into court by a number of police officers wearing protective riot gear - one of whom Russell tried to headbutt.

'Shocking and traumatic' attack

Moira Orr, who leads on homicide and major crime for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, said the case was built on eyewitness accounts, ballistics, DNA, CCTV, mobile phone communications and cell site data.

She added: "Neil Canney's murder was a brazen shooting deliberately carried out by these individuals, who were acting together following extensive planning.

"Their reckless actions have robbed the victim's family of a future with their loved one while also putting the lives of several others, including children, in serious danger.

"It is only by luck that no one else was hit by any of the bullets that were indiscriminately fired into a busy household that night."

Det Ch Insp Graham McCreadie described the murder as a "shocking and traumatic" attack which was witnessed by many people who knew Mr Canney.

He said: "Thankfully violent crimes like these in public places are rare.

"When such incidents take place, we will use all resources necessary to carry out thorough, rigorous inquiries to ensure we track down those responsible to bring them to justice, no matter your part in a crime."