Man tells court of 'gangland' attack in Glasgow

Robert Daniel said his car was rammed before he was chased into a house

A man has described to a court the moment he was attacked in the street during an alleged attempted murder, said to be linked to a gangland feud.

Robert Daniel said his car was rammed by another car on 8 December 2016.

He said he was then followed into a house in Glasgow's Robroyston before being struck on the head.

Six men on trial at the High Court in Glasgow deny all charges against them, including a number of counts of attempted murder.

Brian Ferguson, 37, Andrew Gallacher, 40, Robert Pickett, 53, Andrew Sinclair, 32, John Hardie, 35, and Peter Bain, 45, were alleged to be part of the "Lyons" criminal gang, targeting members of their "Daniel" rivals.

The "Lyons" and "Daniel" gangs are each described in the indictment as a "serious organised crime group".

'Ill-feeling'

The men on trial are accused of involvement in attacks on Robert Daniel, Thomas Bilsland, Gary Petty, Ryan Fitzsimmons and Steven Daniel.

The charge covers the period June 2016 to September 2017, listing locations in Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire and Manchester.

Mr Daniel, who is 29, said in court he had heard of the Lyons, but claimed he knew of no ill-feeling between the two families.

In evidence, Mr Daniel agreed his family is "quite extensive", with relatives living in the the north east of the city.

Advocate depute Paul Kearney asked him: "Do you know of a family called the Lyons?"

"I have heard of them," Mr Daniel replied.

Mr Kearney asked if he knew of any "ill-feeling" between the Daniel and Lyons families.

He replied: "Not that I know of."

'Jumped and ran'

Mr Daniel was asked about events on 8 December 2016 in Briarcroft Road, where he lived at the time.

"What happened after your car was hit?"

He answered: "I jumped out and ran away."

Mr Daniel said he thought there was more than one person, and that he ran "for safety".

He told the court: "I thought I was getting mugged for my car."

Mr Kearney showed Mr Daniel a police statement given the day after the alleged murder bid.

He accepted it had his signature on it and said he was telling the truth in it.

In the statement, he told officers he saw a car when he drove into the housing estate.

Driver's door

He said: "As soon as it saw me it started moving, it crossed over on to my side of the road and forced me on to the pavement on my left.

"It crashed right in to the driver's side door, it sped right towards me that's why I knew something was up and I had to go on the pavement.

"It happened just outside 19 Briarcroft Road, it was deliberate."

The statement continued: "As I got up to the stairs I think I turned right and went in to a room, just as I got in to this room I got hit.

"I think the guy hit me twice both to the back of the head."

The court heard he did not see what hit him but said to police "it was something heavy like a hatchet or machete".

Mr Daniel was taken to hospital and was treated with seven stitches to a cut on the back of his head.

The court also heard evidence he reported to the police finding a tracker device on his car in March 2017.

The trial before Judge Lord Mulholland continues.