A man has been found guilty of murdering a teenager in a drive-by shooting in Paisley.

Anthony Collins, 30, from Glasgow, murdered Andrew Devlin and was also found guilty of the attempted murder of Gerald O’Doherty, who was the intended target for the shooting. He was also found guilty of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by hiding the gun.

He was found guilty on the basis he was the lookout for the shooting.

The murder and attempted murder charges against co-accused Richard McCondochie were found not proven.

A jury at the High Court in Glasgow took seven hours to convict Collins, from Shettleson.

Prosecutor Iain McSporran told the court: "Mr Devlin was not the intended victim but this in no way limits the grief of his family. Indeed, the fact the his death was entirely avoidable is all the more upsetting for them.

"His mother was robbed of the chance even to touch her son's body and indeed had to identify him through a glass screen. Now, two years after his killing they are no nearer to finding out who actually shot him. It's plain from speaking to his parents that Andrew was a hard-working, well-liked young man."

The prosecutor added that there are likely to be further proceedings in connection with the shooting.

The shooting took place outside Suzy Q’s snooker club in Paisley’s Stock Street on August 3, 2007.

CONTRACT KILLING

The court earlier heard from eyewitness Thomas Coutts who said that he thought that a contract had been taken out on Mr O'Doherty's life. Under cross-examination by Collins’ defence QC Donald Findlay, Mr Coutts was asked: "What you are telling the jury is a Peugeot car stopped at the front door then tried to kill Mr O'Doherty" and he replied: "Yes."

Mr Findlay then added: "But tragically somebody else was shot - Andrew Devlin. He was not the intended victim. This was about somebody trying to kill Gerry O'Doherty" and Mr Coutts replied: "as far as I know."

Mr Coutts told jurors that he was outside the club at the time of the shooting and rolled under a parked car when he heard the first shot. When the witness went back to the club Andrew was lying on the ground.

Mr Coutts said: "There were hundreds of holes in the back of his shirt. He was gasping for air. I lifted his shirt. It was all pepper pots all over his back." Paramedics treated the teenager for 20 minutes at the scene before moving him to hospital where he later died.

The jury also heard from victim Mr O'Doherty who said that he panicked and ran after seeing a gun pointed at him out of a car window.

He said: "It was pointed towards me and Thomas Coutts. When I saw it I turned and ran. I panicked and ran."

The 28-year-old said that he dashed into the club and at first didn't realise he had been shot. Mr O'Doherty added that he did not know that his friend 19-year-old Andrew Devlin had been shot dead. The court was told that Mr O'Doherty spent 11 months in hospital. He had his spleen removed and his bowel and intestines rebuilt.

Collins former co-accused John Burke, who was acquitted of murder and attempted murder, earlier pled guilty to firearms charges. Judge Lord Malcolm deferred sentence until August 26 for reports on Burke and Collins.

Collins has been remanded in custody in the meantime.