Two men on trial on race murder charges

Thursday 4 October 2012

TWO men have gone on trial charged with the racially aggravated murder of an Irish former lorry driver in a street.

Custom byline text:

Asif Rehman, 20, and Adel Ishaq, 19, faced charges at the High Court in Kilmarnock of attacking William McKeeney, 57, causing him to fall to the ground before repeatedly punching, kicking, stamping and jumping on his head and body.

Mr McKeeney, who was originally from County Donegal, was severely injured in the alleged incident yards from his home in Melville Street, Pollokshields, Glasgow, on January 15. He died later at the city's Victoria Infirmary.Rehman and Ishaq, prisoners at Polmont Young Offenders Institution, deny the racially aggravated murder of Mr McKeeney and showing previous malice and ill-will towards him. Rehman is said to have been on bail at the time.Ishaq denies attempting to defeat the ends of justice by giving clothing and footwear to Umar Bhatti, who burned and destroyed them, and attempting to induce Bashir Ahmed to give him £500 so he could flee the city.Rehman also denies attempting to defeat justice by changing out of the clothes he was wearing at the time before returning to the scene, and possessing cannabis and diazepam.Ishaq further denies acting in a manner likely to cause fear and alarm by using abusive and threatening language towards Ian Little in Kenmuir Street, Pollokshields, on the day before the alleged attack. He also denies possessing diazepam. Mr McKeeney, a labourer and former lorry driver, was originally from Malin Head in County Donegal, Ireland. He had been drinking Heraghty's Bar in Pollokshaws Road on the night he died, the court heard.Mr Little, 35, a chartered accountant, told the court he had been verbally abused by one of two young Asian men who asked him for a cigarette in Kenmure Street at 7pm on January 14.The trial continues.

Contextual targeting label:

Block list

Commenting & Moderation

We moderate all comments on HeraldScotland on either a pre-moderated or post-moderated basis. If you're a relatively new user then your comments will be reviewed before publication and if we know you well then your comments will be subject to moderation only if other users or the moderators believe you've broken the rules, which are available here.

Moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. Please be patient if your posts are not approved instantly.

Two men on trial on race murder charges

Commenting & Moderation

MOST READ

SPONSORED LINKS

MOST COMMENTED