A KILLER driver who deliberately mowed down a father has been convicted of murder.

Marc Hamilton, 39, ploughed his Peugeot 207 into Gary Starrs near to the victim's home in Blantyre, Lanarkshire on May 29 2020.

Hamilton and his associate Christopher Johnstone had been in the area looking to buy cocaine.

Mr Starrs, 47, was thought to have been angry at them being there and initially confronted Johnstone.

It was soon after Hamilton drove at the dad, sending him sprawling and leaving him with a fatal head injury.

Hamilton had denied murder but was today found guilty following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

He faces a life sentence when he returns to the dock next month.

Jurors heard how Hamilton was in the car with Johnstone and a woman.

The court was told the "purpose of them driving around Blantyre was to source cocaine".

They stopped near to Mr Starrs' family home. His wife was ill at the time.

After the dad went outside, he ended up being hit by crazed Hamilton.

The victim's son Gary Starrs jnr gave evidence during the trial and told how he came to his dad's aid.

He told jurors: "He was knocked back a few feet. I went over to my father. He had blood around his head and was breathing erratically."

Asked by prosecutor Chris Fyffe if his dad was "moving", the witness replied: "No."

One woman recalled what she described as an "oh my God moment" as she heard a car engine "revving" and the vehicle then "shot forward".

Mr Starrs died in hospital on June 9 2020. The court heard he suffered a "catastrophic" head injury from which he never recovered.

In his closing speech, Mr Fyffe said the victim had "no chance to avoid" Hamilton.

The advocate depute added: "What he chose to do was use his car as a weapon with fatal consequences."

Lord Fairley remanded Hamilton in custody and adjourned the case until March 10 in Edinburgh.

Johnstone, 32, - who did not face the murder accusation - had been charged with attacking Mr Starrs by punching him on the head and body.

But, he was acquitted after the allegation was dropped during the trial.