The Glasgow Crime Story of the city's 'hardest man' Coalie Beattie

Colin "Big Coalie" Beattie was feared by both criminals and the police alike because of his power and build.

He was once charged with murder after killing a man with a single punch in a packed dance hall in the west end of Glasgow but he was cleared by a judge due to a lack of evidence.

When the police were going out to arrest him, they were said to take at least eight men - all armed with wooden truncheons which were often broken while trying to subdue him.

While Billy Connolly once described the good-looking Beattie - who was six foot tall with a dark complexion - as like an "escapee from Hollywood"

At the height of his powers, the businessman was said to run Partick where he lived and had a variety of interests.

Legendary criminal lawyer the late Joe Beltrami once described Beattie as one of his favourite clients.

In his 1988 bestselling memoir Tales of the Suspected, Beltrami said: "Colin Beattie, to my knowledge, has never been involved in dishonesty or violence with weapons of any type.

"With his height and build, the use of a weapon would not be necessary. 

"He does not like to see a person taking advantage of another person less well-equipped to look after himself.

"Mind you it would be wrong to depict him as some kind of knight in shining armour, even he would be incensed if so described and it would be the height of folly to rile him."

In his book, Beltrami said that men like Beattie were almost unique to Glasgow.

He added: "The Glasgow criminal lawyer does come across one type of client who is peculiar to the city.

"He is the Glasgow Hardman.

"I have represented many hard men and my recollection is that they show little fear of the consequences of their actions and are remarkably calm both on the eve of a trial, and its conclusion.

"They do not complain much, even following a negative verdict but seem to realistic and philosophical about the outcome.

"He will often be the first to rally to the assistance of someone incapable of looking after themselves

"Hardmen do not enjoy liberties being taken with anyone.

"I have even known situations when they have rallied to the assistance of beleaguered police officers facing insurmountable odds."

In 1979, Beattie was arrested after armed police raided the Station Bar in Yoker, Glasgow.

At the time, they were looking for Kenneth "Kansas" Kelly who was wanted for shooting a barman in another pub. Beattie was drinking with Kelly at the time and lashed out at the officers.

His subsequent trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court heard how Beattie felled a detective with a punch while another officer broke a baton over his head while trying to subdue him.

Joe Beltrami (Image: Newsquest)

Beltrami added: "Over the years policemen have expressed the opinion that Big Coalie is one of the hardest men in Glasgow.

"Despite this awesome billing, I must admit that he had been one of my favourite long-term clients.

"It would appear however that Big Coalie sometimes feels impelled to take the part of the underdog often. come strangers to him and on occasion finishes up by being charged by the police.

"He does not like to see one person taking advantage of another person less well-equipped to look after himself.

"Most of these skirmishes have been of a less serious nature, although I have been instructed by Beattie at both sheriff and high court level with not unfavourable results."

Joe recalled one incident when Beattie took umbrage at the fact that another client had called him Joe, whereas he always called him Mr Beltrami.

He added: "More often than not the police when they go to arrest Big Coalie they go in big numbers.

"I know of occasions when eight offers were detailed to arrest him and sometimes have used their batons in the course of subduing him. 

"Occasionally the batons have been known to break into pieces."

Beltrami also recalled visiting Beattie in Glasgow Royal Infirmary where he had been receiving treatment after he had resisted arrest and had suffered a broken nose and head lacerations in the process.

He was later sentenced to nine months in prison which had been reduced because of the amount of injuries he had suffered.

One of Beltrami's biggest successes was when he got Beattie cleared on the murder charge.

He had been charged with killing a man called Francis Whitelaw in the West End ballroom at St George Cross with one blow from his fist.

Beattie fled the scene and later told Beltrami that he thought the man was going to pull a weapon on him after he reached into a pocket.

However, a friend of the victim had witnessed the attack and named Beattie to the police.

The pal said the fatal attack had been unprovoked but Beltrami lodged a special defence of self-defence.

Beltrami also had the charge reduced from murder to culpable homicide - manslaughter in England - before it went to trial.

The court was told by two pathologists that the power of Beattie's one punch had caused cerebral haemorrhaging of the brain.

However, after hearing all the evidence the sheriff ruled that the case could not go to the jury because the prosecution had not proved that the attack hadn't been in self-defence.

Another big success was when Beattie was charged with punching a steward in the old Astoria ballroom on Sauchiehall Street.

Three people had identified him as the assailant.

However, Beattie had also been there with a pal William Hynds who was very similar in appearance.

Both had also been wearing matching red pullovers and suits.

Under cross-examination from Beltrami, two of the three witnesses admitted it could have been Hynds even though Beattie had been picked out by them in an earlier identity parade.

As a result, the charges were dropped by the prosecution.

Beltrami wrote: "As far as I am concerned Beattie has always displayed a friendly disposition never argumentative and particularly easy to deal with as a client.

"It never ceases to amaze me that despite his many violent encounters his face still bears no visible signs of scaring."

Despite what may have seemed like a life of violence Colin Beattie lived to the ripe old age of 85.

And when he was laid to rest at Clydebank Crematorium in June 2015 more than 500 people packed the place out.

Tributes were led by his son Colin, then 62, a leading Glasgow publican and developer.

His son Colin led tributes at his funeral (Image: His son Colin Beattie led tributes at his funeral)

In one interview Colin described his father as a man of principle.

He said: "The family were moved to see so many people at the service paying tribute to our father.

"It showed how much he was loved and respected during his life.

"Dad also showed great courage in his last few days, which was so typical of him. He did not drive and walked everywhere, even in his later years.

"People would always recognise him in the street and want to stop and talk to him.

"I bumped into Sir David McNee - the former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police - in Glasgow the other day and he asked after my father.

"He was very much a man of his time and brought up in a different era from today when people did not have much and that is how he should be judged.

"My grandfather left home when dad was nine to serve on the minesweepers in the war and times then were very difficult."

Colin says his father was involved in the construction and demolition business and ran fruit shops.

He added: "Despite what people might say, he was not involved in criminality. He was a person to whom people went for advice to try to sort things out.

"He did not like people who were noisy and aggressive and always took the side of the underdog.

"One of his admirers was Billy Connolly, who was impressed by his good looks and always described him as like an 'escapee from Hollywood'.

"He never swore and was always courteous towards women."

Playwright Peter McDougall and actor Dave Anderson were among the mourners seven years ago

A family friend speaking later reflected: "There was no point in picking a fight with big Coalie Beattie because there was only ever going to be one winner."