THE trial of three men charged with the murder of local dad Sam Johnston has started this week in Glasgow’s High Court.

Stuart McCulloch, 18, Fergal Morgan, 21 and Allan Carey, 19 are all charged with repeatedly punching Sam Johnston on the head and body and striking him to the chest with a knife or similar instrument, murdering him on October 26 of last year.

All three men entered not guilty pleas to the charge with Carey putting forward the special defence of an alibi stating that he was outside of the block of flats with a prime witness during the time which the offence is said to have been committed.

Morgan was on bail from Kilmarnock Sheriff Court when the alleged incident took place.

The trial, which is expected to last around 10 days, got formally underway yesterday (Tuesday) when the jury was selected and the three men heard the charges that were being brought against them.

McCulloch and Carey are also charged with assaulting Ross Wilson on October 12 of last year at High Road in Saltcoats where they allegedly struck him on the head with a glass or similar object and repeatedly punched him on the head to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

Carey is also accused of assaulting Ross Johnston, Sam’s brother, on October 25 or 26 at Parkend Gardens in Saltcoats by repeatedly punching him on the head and striking him with a bottle or similar object to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

A special defence of self-defence was lodged in regards to this charge.

All three men are also charged with behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer from fear or alarm, by engaging in fighting.

The final charge heard by the court is that on October 25 or 26, McCulloch is accused of supplying a controlled drug, namely cocaine, to others at Parkend Gardens in Saltcoats.

The trial continues.