'Danger to the public' gunman jailed for Glasgow murder bid

Steven Nelson fired a shotgun at the car in Scotstoun

A man has been jailed for nine-and-a-half years for shooting at a man in broad daylight in Glasgow.

Steven Nelson was branded a danger to the public after admitting firing a shotgun at Christopher Beaton's car in Kingsway Court, Scotstoun.

Mr Beaton was only spared serious injury in the May 2018 incident because he ducked out of the way as the shot was fired.

Nelson, 28, also pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a shotgun.

Judge Lady Stacey told him: "I take the view you are a danger to the public and may remain so."

Window smashed

She ordered Nelson to be monitored in the community for three years after his release from jail.

The shooting happened in Kinsgway Court in the Scotstoun area of Glasgow

The court heard that on the evening of the incident, Mr Beaton was parked in Kingsway Court talking through the window of his black Audi to his friend Christopher Bonner, whose car was parallel.

A red Audi A3 drove past and did a U-turn. Mr Bonner moved his car to let the red Audi pass.

The red Audi driver stopped beside Mr Bonner's car.

The driver and the four others in the car all had their faces partially covered with t-shirts.

The A3 driver asked Mr Bonner: "Are you Packie's mate or pa?" and he replied: "No mate, I'm no fae here. I'm fae Greenock."

He then asked Mr Beaton: "Are you Chrissy Beaton?" and he replied: "Aye, how?"

The court heard the A3 driver then moved his head to the left and Nelson, who was sitting behind him, put a shotgun through the driver's window and fired a single shot.

Defence QC Donald Finday said it was a "frightener and things went badly wrong"

Ballistics experts said the damage to Mr Beaton's car was caused by a a single discharge from a 12-bore shotgun.

The left shoulder area of the driver's seat was damaged and some pellets smashed into the head rest and the rear passenger window.

As he ducked, Mr Beaton pressed the accelerator and his car shot forward striking a parked car and a tree.

The red Audi in which Nelson was a backseat passenger sped off and was later found burnt out in Queen's View car park near Blanefield.

Nelson, who has previous convictions for assault and possession of a machete, claimed to police that the window in his VW Golf had been smashed earlier that day with a wheel brace by someone in a black Audi.

He told officers his head was cut by flying glass and he drove off through a hedge and roadworks.

Defence QC Donald Findlay said: "The conduct involved is, of course, not acceptable. There are ways of solving a dispute and this isn't one of them.

"This was to be something of a frightener and things went badly wrong."

Nelson showed no emotion as he was led away to begin his sentence.