Axe maniac threatened sister with weapon after relationship row
- Rory Cassidy
- Jun 28
- 2 min read
An axe maniac was snared prowling the streets armed with the weapon after he threatened his sister with the blade.
Gary Murdoch lost the plot after having an argument with his sister over relationships during a drinking session.
A pal had to step in and shove Murdoch to the floor as he terrorised the young women with the weapon.
His sister was at his home in Paisley, Renfrewshire, when trouble flared between her and her brother and her friend.
She ended up fleeing the property with her pal, before Murdoch left his home in possession of the weapon.
And officers found him nearly a mile away an hour later, still in possession of the axe.
The details emerged on Friday when Murdoch, 21, appeared in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court over the incident.
He pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive way by behaving aggressively, shouting and swearing and brandishing an axe.
He also admitted a charge of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.
Procurator Fiscal Depute Decla O'Connor explained: "The witness Stephanie Murdoch is the accused's 21-year-old sister.
"The witness Lana Gilchrist is a friend of Stephanie Murdoch.
"At around 11am on Saturday, March 28, 2026, the witnesses Murdoch and Gilchrist attended the accused Gary Murdoch's home address.
"There were two other people in the property, the witnesses Ciaran Kelly and Keira Reilly.
"The witnesses Murdoch and Gilchrist noted the accused was heavily under the influence of alcohol."
The prosecutor said the girls then began arguing with Murdoch about Miss Gilchrist's relationships.
She explained: "The accused became angry and suddenly stood up from his seated position, picked up an axe and began to wave it around the room and approach the witnesses Murdoch and Gilchrist, brandishing the axe in their proximity.
"The witnesses Murdoch and Gilchrist became scared and fearful of the accused.
"The witness Kelly then placed himself between the accused and the witnesses Murdoch and Gilchrist and pushed the accused to the floor, telling him to stop.
"The accused then stood back up and began shouting, 'get the f*** out my house'.
"The witnesses Murdoch and GIlchrist left the locus and contacted police on returning home."
The police were contacted just before 12pm, and officers found him in Love Street, Paisley, just before 1pm, with the axe in a blue carrier bag.
Defence solicitor Amy Spencer said Murdoch was "realistic he is going to receive a custodial sentence".
But Sheriff Bruce Erroch KC said he was calling for background reports to help decide what sentence to impose.
As he did so, he said: "You are a young man and I want to have the full picture available to me."
Murdoch, who is being held on remand at Low Moss Prison, Bishopbriggs, will be sentenced later this year.
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