Murder accused says sorry to stabbed boy's family

Justin McLaughlin was stabbed in the heart at High Street railway station in Glasgow

A murder accused has apologised to the family of the schoolboy he stabbed at a Glasgow railway station.

Daniel Haig, 18, knifed Justin McLaughlin, 14, in the heart after chasing him along a platform on 16 October 2021.

At the High Court in Glasgow, he told Justin's family: "It was never my intention to kill anybody."

Mr Haig denies murder but prosecutors and his legal team agree he delivered the blow which caused Justin's death.

Justin, who lived in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, was taken to hospital after the attack at High Street station but he never recovered.

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Mr Haig told jurors he fled the railway station before disposing of the knife in a bin.

Prosecutors went on to claim he was a "liar" and had been intent on "serious damage" as he chased Justin and his friends along the platform that afternoon.

During questioning from defence KC John Scullion, Mr Haig said he had a knife in his rucksack for "protection" having allegedly been attacked the day before.

Giving evidence, Mr Haig told the court he took the blade out when he saw Justin and a group of boys walking towards him.

He claimed he planned to "chase" the group away, but he dropped the knife, which fell onto the tracks.

After a fight, and fearing boys in the other group could be armed, Mr Haig jumped off the platform to retrieve the weapon.

Daniel Haig said he fled the railway station before disposing of the knife in a bin

He then chased the teenagers down the platform stabbed Justin when he fell.

Mr Haig denied intending to kill and told the court: "I tried to aim for the lower abdomen. I thought [he would suffer] a minor injury."

Mr Scullion asked: "How do you feel that you killed Justin McLaughlin? His family are in the courtroom."

Mr Haig replied: "I feel really bad about it. I would like to apologise to them. It was never my intention to kill anyone."

Prosecutor Steven Borthwick KC later put to Mr Haig that after the fight stopped on the platform, he was under "no threat" and was "intending on doing serious damage to one of them".

The teenager denied this and then refuted the suggestion he was a "liar".

The trial, before judge Lord Clark, continues.