Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Grant McCabe & Jordan Shepherd

Scots gun thug caged for blasting house amid feud then going on the run

A gunman went on the run after blasting at a house amid an on-going feud. Lee Martin targeted the property in Saltcoats, Ayrshire, last August as a man was at the back feeding dogs.

A group of children went on to report they had seen a person with a gun and that he had shot the window. No one was fortunately hurt during the incident.

The 23 year-old was eventually found in Edinburgh around a fortnight later having initially gone to a holiday let in Dumfries-shire, where he dumped the weapon. The gun was discovered and found to be a German-made Mauser pistol dating from the 1930s.

Martin appeared at the High Court in Glasgow. He pled guilty to culpably and recklessly discharging a firearm to the danger of others as well as having possession of the weapon.

Martin was remanded in custody and will be sentenced in August. The court heard Martin appeared to be involved in a "feud" between a father and son who lived at the house.

Martin's own home had also been vandalised the night before although those responsible had not been identified. The father, son and other relatives had gone to a party on the night of the shooting - August 13 last year.

A friend then later came round to tend to their dogs.

Prosecutor Ali Murray said: "Around 40 minutes later, he was in the kitchen at the rear of the house when he heard a loud bang from the front. On investigating, he observed that the living room window was broken."

A neighbour clocked the gunman running off and then hearing another bang. Police were alerted and a bullet was found on the living room floor of the house.

It was August 25 that Martin was traced in Edinburgh. He denied any involvement in the incident. However, in February this year, a woman walking along a riverbank in Moniaive in Dumfries-shire when she found a small bag.

It emerged Martin had stayed at holiday accommodation near there for a night after the shooting. The gun was inside the bag - ballistic experts went on to link it to the crime in Saltcoats.

Martin faces at least a minimum five years in jail. Lord Clark deferred sentencing for reports.

Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here .

READ NEXT:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.