Man, 20, convicted of killing housing chief in street attack

A man has been convicted of killing a former housing association chairman after punching him to the ground in a street attack.

Ethan O’Kane, 20, caused John McLardie to smack his head off the pavement during the assault on Victoria Road in Glasgow’s south side.

A jury at the High Court in Glasgow found him guilty of the attack in April 2023.

Mr McLardie, 68, died eight months later after suffering blunt force trauma. Govanhill Housing Association said he would be sorely missed.

First Offender O’Kane, from Summerston in Glasgow, had denied killing Mr McLardie.

He told the court the suggestion that he punched his victim was “completely wrong”.

He claimed he had only pushed him and it was another man in his group, known as “ST”, that had punched him.

O’Kane said the incident was sparked after Mr McLardie complained about the way “ST” was riding his bike.

CCTV footage showed Mr McLardie falling to the ground before O’Kane and others fled the scene.

He claimed he was not aware that Mr McLardie was injured. He found out later that he died on 31 December 2023.

Asked by his lawyer Allan MacLeod how he felt, 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.”

Tributes were paid to Mr McLardie following his death.

Govanhill Housing Association, where he was chairman up until 2023, said he was “a very active and much-loved member of our community”.

Another man, Matteullah Siddiqui, 20, was also charged over the incident but jurors returned a not proven verdict.

Siddiqui denied any involvement and O’Kane stated that he had not been there.

Judge Lord Arthurson deferred sentencing for reports.

He 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.”