The hitman serving time for executing gangster Euan Johnston has a new bid to clear his name.

Lawyers acting for David Scott, 33, told the Court of Criminal Appeal in July that they should be allowed to continue working on his cause.

Judges Lord Carloway, Lord Turnbull and Lord Menzies heard the lawyers had identified “fresh” issues from Scott’s trial which show he may have fallen victim to a miscarriage of justice.

Lord Carloway, Scotland’s most senior judge, had said the “fresh” evidence identified by the lawyers did not meet strict legal tests to show that Scott was the victim of a miscarriage of justice.

But it has been confirmed that a fresh hearing in an appeal against conviction is scheduled to be heard next week. The case is due to be heard in front of three so-far unidentified judges.

Scott, originally of Glasgow, was handed a life sentence in May 2018 at Glasgow's high court in which he was ordered to serve a minimum of 22 years.

The Herald:

Jurors heard how Scott shot Mr Johnston (above) twice in the head in the attack in Glasgow in November 2016. One bullet went through his brain.

The 26-year-old suffered a catastrophic brain injury and died later in hospital.

Mr Johnston, a father-of-two, was sitting in his Audi RS4 at red lights at the junction of Shields Road and Scotland Street at about 23:40 when he was targeted.

He was chatting to partner Danielle Carruthers on the phone when an Audi Q5 pulled alongside and three shots rang out.

Two of the bullets hit Mr Johnston, who was known as EJ, in the head. One went through his brain.

The third bullet hit the rubber seal round the driver's door of Mr Johnston's car.

Earlier in the trial, which concluded in May, last year, Scott's co-accused, 33-year-old Anthony Ruthven, was cleared of murder.