Ross Monaghan cleared of gun charges at Kevin Carroll murder trial

A man accused of murdering gangland figure Kevin "Gerbil" Carroll has been cleared of firearms offences.

At the end of the Crown case, prosecutors withdrew charges relating to possession of the two guns used in the killing and prohibited ammunition.

Ross Monaghan was also cleared of reset of the Volkswagen Golf getaway car.

The 30-year-old denies the remaining charges that he shot Mr Carroll dead in the Asda car park in Robroyston, Glasgow, in January 2010.

He also denies attempting to pervert the course of justice by disposing of a revolver and a pistol at Academy Street, Coatbridge, and setting fire to the getaway car at Yetts Hole Road, Airdrie, on 13 January 2010.

Mr Monaghan has lodged a special defence of incrimination, blaming eight men for the shooting.

Earlier, under cross-examination, telecommunications expert Dominic Kirsten was asked by defence QC Derek Ogg: "You don't have anything that puts Ross Monaghan's phone, never mind Ross Monaghan at Asda car park, or where the guns were found or where the getaway car was burnt out," and he replied: "No."

The court heard that Mr Monaghan's phone was inactive between 11:52 and 14:17 the day of the shooting.

But there was also no activity on the phone during two other parts of the day in the morning and in the early evening.

Mr Ogg asked: "When Ross Monaghan's phone is cell sited at 11.52am in the north east area or Cumbernauld and when it is used again it is still in the north east area of Cumbernauld," and Mr Kirsten said: "That's correct."

He added that there was no way of knowing where the phone was in the interim period, but accepted in could have remained in the north east area of Cumbernauld.

The jury also heard that a phone which police believe allegedly belonged to William Paterson, one of them men blamed by Mr Monaghan for the shooting, was found to have travelled from the south west of Cumbernauld to Glasgow and then to Robroyston at the time of the shooting.

A call was made to this number just seconds before Mr Carroll was shot dead.

During the course of the trial police claimed that this phone belonged to Mr Paterson, but no evidence has been led to that effect.

The mobile was a pay-as-you-go phone with no subscribers details.

The jury has been sent away for the day while legal submissions are made.

The trial before Lord Brailsford continues.