Man, 20, killed former housing association chairman in Glasgow street attack

A man has been convicted of killing a former housing association chairman in a street assault.

Ethan O’Kane, 20, was part of an attack on John McLardie on Glasgow’s Victoria Road in late April 2023.

The 68-year-old was pushed and punched, causing him to hit his head on the pavement.

Mr McLardie – who had been the ex-chair of the city’s Govanhill Housing Association – passed away months after the attack, having suffered blunt force trauma.

O’Kane stood trial at the High Court in Glasgow, charged with the culpable homicide of the pensioner.

He claimed he had only pushed Mr McLardie and that it was another young man – he knew only as ‘ST’ – that had floored the victim.

Matteullah Siddiqui, 20, also faced the same accusation.

He denied being involved in the killing, and O’Kane also stated Siddiqui had not been there.

Jurors found O’Kane, of Summerston, guilty, while a not-proven verdict was returned against Siddiqui.

First-offender O’Kane was in tears as he was remanded in custody pending sentencing in the New Year.

The incident was captured on CCTV.

It is thought it may have been sparked due to the manner the individual O’Kane said was ‘ST’ was riding his bike.

The footage showed Mr McLardie, who lived locally, falling to the ground.

O’Kane insisted that a suggestion that he punched the victim was “completely wrong”.

Following the incident, the attackers fled the scene, and O’Kane went to a flat nearby. He said he was not aware Mr McLardie was injured.

He told the trial that it was days after Mr McLardie passed away on December 31, 2023, that he found out about the death.

The jury was shown an Instagram exchange O’Kane had with his then friend Siddiqui, latterly of the city’s Calton.

This included the killer callously stating, “c***’s dead, bro”.

O’Kane insisted in court that he had no idea the individual he knew as ‘ST’ was going to strike Mr McLardie.

Asked by his lawyer Allan MacLeod how he felt about the death, he replied: “Horrible, really bad.

“I shoved him but I did not know that he was going to punch him. I regret getting involved so badly.”

O’Kane said he had “bumped” into ‘ST’ in the city centre around the time he was told about the death.

O’Kane told the trial: “We had a very brief conversation. I informed him that the man he had punched in the face had died.

“He never said much, he froze – his face dropped. He kind of stood there for a couple of seconds – after that, I walked away from him.”

O’Kane said he had not been able to trace him since none of his friends knew where he stayed or what his full name was.

Lord Arthurson deferred sentencing for reports.

The judge told O’Kane: “You have been convicted of a serious charge – the culpable homicide of an elderly man.

“You have no previous convictions. You will be remanded, and you can expect to receive a significant custodial sentence.”

Tributes were paid to Mr McLardie following his death.

Govanhill Housing Association – where he had been chairman up until 2023 – described him as “a very active and much-loved member of our community. He will be sorely missed.”