Man pushed neighbour off bridge in murder bid in Stirling

A man who pushed his neighbour and friend off a bridge in a murder bid has been jailed.

Alistair Murray, 37, attacked the victim on Cambuskenneth Bridge in Stirling on February 13 last year.

The pair had earlier had a disagreement about the man’s house keys while in the property.

The High Court in Glasgow was told that the men then went to a local shop before they walked on the bridge.

Prosecutor Kath Harper said: “The next thing [the victim] recalls is standing on a ledge at the wall of the bridge and placing his two hands on top of the wall and looking over onto the water.

“As he did this, Murray suddenly came up from behind him, grabbed him by the waistband with two hands, lifted him off his feet and pushed him off the bridge and into the water below.

“Having found himself in the heavily flowing water, [the victim] attempted to stay calm and keep himself afloat as the water carried him a considerable distance down the river.

“He managed to grab hold of an item by the riverbank. Due to his exhaustion, he struggled getting up to the bank but was eventually able to lift himself up and out of the water.”

The man then walked to the town centre where he told a witness: “My f***ing neighbour has thrown me off a bridge.”

The police were contacted and officers found the victim in clothes which were soaking wet and covered in mud.

He told officers that Murray was responsible, and the attacker was traced to his home.

Murray stated that he was friends and neighbours with the man but was “evasive” about their previous time together.

He said: “You’re saying I tried to f***ing kill him and that, I don’t know if he’s done it himself, but he keeps telling me he’s suicidal.”

Murray was told that the pair were seen together on CCTV at the shop.

Ms Harper added: “He said he saw [the victim] standing on the ledge of the bridge, that he tried to grab and stop him but that he saw him “go over” and heard a splash.

“He said that he ran from the area trying to find a pay phone as his own telephone wasn’t working and that he couldn’t see the [the victim] in the water.”

Murray, of Stirling, pleaded guilty to attempted murder.

Sentence was deferred pending background reports until next month at the High Court in Inverness.

Judge Lord Colbeck remanded Murray in custody.