Three men to stand trial over pitchfork murder

Three people are to stand trial charged with murdering a man with a pitchfork.

Christopher Michael Mullen, 22, Ryan Mullen, 42 and Christopher Mullen, 44, are accused of killing Joseph Buchanan in a street in Douglas, Lanarkshire on April 13, 2025.

It is claimed the 35-year-old was pursued before being repeatedly struck with a pitchfork, knife and a sword or similar weapons.

The trio face a further charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

This includes a claim of removing a CCTV hard drive from a property on the street where the alleged murder happened.

It is also said they got rid of weapons and clothes as well changed locations and hid from the authorities.

Locations mentioned in the charge are in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire and near Loch Lomond.

Prosecutors state this was all in a bid to avoid “detection, arrest and prosecution”.

The older Christopher Mullen is separately accused of acting with others in recklessly destroying property in Wishaw, also Lanarkshire, by breaking windows and damaging a car.

The case called for a hearing at the High Court in Glasgow.

Defence lawyers pled not guilty on behalf of each. A trial was set for March 2027.