A murder trial was told on January 28, 2022, that a man accused of a fatal shooting was innocent because dead gangland thug Kevin “Gerbil” Carroll was the killer.
Carroll revealed to his “brother-in-law” Alexander Sutherland that Jamie Campbell was the first person he killed, a court was told. Sutherland told a jury that Carroll revealed he did the shooting in Glasgow’s Drumchapel during a car journey.
Carroll’s alleged confession
The witness said Carroll made the claim as they passed another man called James Campbell. He told the High Court in Edinburgh that Carroll said “There’s Casper” in reference to the ghostly cartoon character.
Sutherland claimed Carroll gave the man the name because “that was the name of the first person he killed and he thought it was...fitting...for the other Campbell”.
Defence advocate John Scullion QC asked: “So Kevin Carroll told you he killed a person called James Campbell from Drumchapel?”
Sutherland replied: “Yes.”
He also told the court that he acted as Carroll’s driver.
Scullion asked: “Did he say anything to you at that time about virginity?”
Sutherland replied: “Aye.”
He added: “He said he popped his cherry by killing the first Campbell.”
Scullion then asked: “So that James Campbell was the first person that he had killed?”
The witness then said: “Yes.”
Prosecution challenge
Prosecutor Steven Borthwick asked the witness whether he had given untruthful evidence.
He said: “Mr Sutherland, I have to suggest to you that you have come to court to tell lies about the conversation you had with Kevin Carroll and you have done that to help out John Kennedy who is standing trial for murder – what do you have to say about that?”
Sutherland replied: “That’s your opinion. But let’s stick to the facts. I was in the car that day. I knew what he said. You don’t.”
Prosecutor Steven Borthwick yesterday revealed Carroll said he “had no idea” why the dad was gunned down when quizzed about the fatal shooting in Glasgow’s Drumchapel in March 2006.
Reading from Carroll’s statement, Mr Borthwick said: “I don’t know why Jamie Campbell was shot or who had done it. I cannot offer anything further.”
Mr Borthwick told the jurors they should reject Sutherland’s evidence.
The comments were made during a trial aiming to prove another man was the gunman who shot Campbell dead. A not proven verdict was later returned for the individual.
Carroll’s death
Carroll died after arranging a meeting at Asda car park in Robroyston to poach Lyons-linked drug dealer Stephen Glen on January 13, 2010.
While Gerbil sat in the back of a black Audi A3, two masked men jumped out of a Volkswagen Golf and opened fire. Carroll’s two associates had fled the vehicle leaving him trapped in the back of the three-door car.
He was shot in the head and chest 13 times in a brazen assassination in front of shocked shoppers.
