Gangster murdered member of rival gang with shotgun as children played nearby

A gangster who murdered a member of a rival crime clan in a shotgun attack has been jailed for life.

Malcolm McNee, already 63 and with health problems, will likely die in prison, the High Court in Stirling was told, after a judge ordered he should remain behind bars for at least 22 years before being considered for parole.

McNee, described as an associate of the Glasgow-based Daniels organised crime group, chased rival gang member John Quinn McGregor, 44, with the shotgun before shooting him in the chest on Westray Street in Milton as children played nearby on August 26, 2021.

Despite open heart surgery at the scene, McGregor died at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow two days later.

Prosecutor John Macpherson said: “The background to this case is an ongoing feud between the Lyons and the Daniels organised crime groups.

“Westray Street is a regular meeting point for youths associated with the Lyons family, while members of the Daniel family live in adjoining streets.”

Following an incident earlier in the evening in which another man was threatened, McNee grabbed a shotgun and asked co-accused Reece Trainer, 25, to drive him to the scene.

The court heard that both McNee and Trainer, a former law student and a member of the Daniel family though not part of the Daniel crime group, lived in a hutters’ settlement at Carbeth near Blanefield.

Mr Macpherson said: “In response to various phone calls, McNee took a shotgun because he believed that Ronnie Daniel had been threatened by members of the Lyons organised crime group.”

Mr Macpherson said those threatening included people known as the Quinn brothers.

Mr Macpherson said Trainer believed the gun would be used only to warn off those threatening Ronnie Daniel. He drove his white works van, which he used in his job as a domestic energy assessor.

Neither Trainer nor McNee made any attempt to conceal their identity, and when they arrived, Trainer’s Corsa van was struck with a machete by a man named in court as James Quinn. McNee got out and brandished the shotgun at gathered youths, who fled.

Mr Macpherson said McNee made no attempt to fire at this point and got back in the van. At this point, another car, with John McGregor in the front passenger seat, appeared to block the Corsa before both passed each other.

Mr Macpherson said: “The deceased and McNee exited their vehicles and confronted each other.

“The deceased seemed to register that McNee had a firearm and attempted to flee and take cover behind parked vehicles. McNee was seen to aim and fire.”

Mr McGregor was hit once in the chest and staggered a few steps before collapsing.

The blast severely damaged his chest wall, right lung and liver, causing cardiac arrest.

McNee got back into the Corsa and was driven off by Trainer. The Corsa was later driven to Cumbernauld by McNee and torched to destroy evidence, while Trainer fled Scotland to Mexico via England and Spain.

Mr Macpherson said: “He was assisted to leave the country to avoid detection by persons unknown.”

McNee, of Carbeth, appeared for sentence after pleading guilty last month to the murder, just before he was due to stand trial.

He also admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Trainer admitted having a firearm on the day and location of the murder and attempting to pervert the course of justice by fleeing to Mexico.

He later returned to the UK, voluntarily to be arrested, as extradition proceedings were under way.

Brian McConnachie KC, for McNee, said his client had been “at home minding his own business” when he received a “panicked phone call”.

Mr McConnachie said: “The plan initially was to brandish the shotgun, scare people away, and go home again.

“Regrettably, that is not what happened – the deceased got out of the other vehicle, and there was something of a standoff before Mr McNee fired.”

Thomas Ross KC said the reason Trainer – a first offender whose own step-father was murdered in a street shooting – had decided to flee the country was he feared he might be shot in retaliation.

Judge Lord Harrower jailed Trainer for 54 months, in addition to imposing the life sentence, with a punishment part of 22 years, on McNee.

Lord Harrower told McNee: “The agreed narrative describes you as an associate of the Daniel family and Mr McGregor as having been an associate of the Lyons family – two gangs involved in serious organised crime in Glasgow.

“This senseless killing appears to have been the latest instalment of an ongoing feud between the rival gangs.

“It was a beautiful late summer’s evening, just before 8pm. Children were out playing.”

He said the murder had been committed in full view of “horrified” members of the public.

He added: “This murder was more than just an episode in a turf war. Your brandishing a shotgun was intended to strike fear into members of the local community who might even have got hurt in the shooting.

“You were arrogant enough to believe you could commit this most serious of crimes and never be brought to justice.”

After the murder, Mr McGregor’s brother paid tribute to his sibling. He said: “I am absolutely shocked and devastated at the loss of my brother John in such horrific circumstances.

“He was a loving father, granda, son, brother and uncle and will be sorely missed by all of his family and friends.”