Two teens found guilty of murdering Kayden Moy at Irvine beach

Two teenagers have been found guilty of murdering a 16-year-old boy at a beach in North Ayrshire.

A 15-year-old boy, who can’t be named for legal reasons, and co-accused Jay Stewart, 18, stood trial accused of killing Kayden Moy at Irvine Beach on May 17, 2025.

Cole Turley, 18, had previously pleaded guilty to the murder before the trial started at the High Court in Glasgow.

Stewart and the 15-year-old, while acting with Turley, were accused of pursuing Kayden and caused him to fall to the ground before they repeatedly stabbed him to the body.

Cole Turley, (left) and Jay Stewart, (right) Police Scotland

It is alleged that Stewart and the other teenager had previous ill-will and malice towards him.

Stewart and the 15-year-old had lodged a special defence of incrimination against Turley.

But the jury returned a unanimous verdict of murder for Stewart, and a majority verdict of murder for the 15-year-old at the High Court in Glasgow on Friday.

Jurors had determined the duo acted alongside Turley when committing the murder.

Beach attack

During the trial, jurors heard Turley, Stewart and the 15-year-old went to Irvine beach amid a dispute between rival gangs from East Kilbride, Lanarkshire.

Turley, Stewart and the 15-year-old were members of the Murray Boys gang in East Kilbride, while Kayden and his friends were part of the rival Himshie gang.

The murder was sparked after a Himshie gang member attacked an associate of the Murray Boys. Jurors heard that peacemaker Kayden had stepped in to break it up.

Turley, Stewart and the 15-year-old, on being informed of the attack, made their way from East Kilbride to Irvine Beach armed with weapons.

The three teens were spotted walking away from the fatal attack on Kayden COPFS

The trio met their associate near the beach and the 15-year-old asked him: “Do you want to see a fight?”

Turley, Stewart and the 15-year-old went on to throw rocks “the size of hands” at Kayden and his friends.

Prosecutor Liam Ewing KC told jurors in his closing speech: “The rocks don’t appear to have struck anyone – it was an exercise to flush out the Himshie group to invoke a reaction and it did so.”

Kayden and two friends – who were unarmed – went on to confront the three teenagers.

Turley then whipped out a large lockback knife while Stewart held a police-style extendable baton.

One of Kayden’s friends, who gave evidence, told the pair to get rid of their weapons and offered to “box” them in a fist fight.

The 17-year-old boy said: “I ran to the right of [Turley] as has Kayden. He ran behind me.

“I jumped over the grass ledge and Kayden kind of slipped and Cole Turley jumped on him.”

Turley plunged the blade into the teenager twice – on the body and thigh – before he fled.

Stewart brandished his baton and was heard to shout “Murray Boys”. He then told a witness at the scene “He f***ing deserved it.”

The trio were spotted on CCTV running away from the beach COPFS

Members of Kayden’s family left the public gallery when CCTV and mobile phone footage of the stabbing was played to the court.

Kayden hobbled down from the sand dune where the stabbing took place to the beach below.

His friend recalled: “I remember blood going down Kayden’s leg and Kayden going really white and his eyes started to close.”

Another friend told the court that Kayden fell unconscious and his lips turned blue.

The young victim was given first aid by a woman at the beach before emergency crews took over.

He was rushed to hospital by ambulance, but Kayden suffered a second cardiac arrest and passed away at 11.33pm.

The cause of death was “stab wound to the trunk.”

Turley, Stewart and the 15-year-old were captured on doorbell camera footage COPFS

Following the murder, the trio fled the beach as they “cuddled” and shook hands.

The “ecstatic” teens went on to create a rap song mocking Kayden.

Turley also acted out the murder on the couch of a friend, whose flat was used as a hideout.

At the time of the fatal attack, Stewart was subject to a community payback order for possession of a machete – which was imposed four days before the murder.

His other previous conviction was a breach of the peace with a knife.