A MAN claimed he was present when a car linked to the attempted murder of a lawyer was torched.

Roy Bennett gave evidence today in the trial of Barry Harvey, 35, and Thomas Guthrie, 27, who are accused of a murder bid on Joseph Shields on July 19, 2018.

The electrician stated that he was in his work's van with the pair when he saw Guthrie get out and drive a car for a short period.

He alleged that Guthrie ran back to the van and he "saw flames" in the distance.

Mr Bennett went on to say that Guthrie drove the van back to the city's Wyndford area.

The charge says the murder bid was done by repeatedly striking Mr Shields on the head and body with a knife.

Harvie and Guthrie face a separate charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice by setting fire to a vehicle used in the commission of the alleged attempted murder in Baldernock, East Dunbartonshire.

The High Court in Glasgow heard from Mr Bennett who was being cross examined today by Harvey's advocate John Scullion KC.

Mr Bennett claimed that he got a phone call to drive to the Wyndford area in a van late at night.

Mr Bennett stated that Harvey and Guthrie entered the van but he "panicked" and went into the back of the van.

He claimed that he did not want to see Harvey after he allegedly assaulted Guthrie at his flat in January that year.

Mr Bennett had told jurors that Harvey ordered him to pay £1000 after allegedly leaking information about the assault on Guthrie but he refused to pay.

Mr Scullion said: "You said there was a point Mr Guthrie stopped the van and got out?"

Mr Bennett replied: "Yes."

Mr Scullion asked: "He picked up another car to drive a short distance and he ran back to the van and you saw flames?"

Mr Bennett replied: "Yes."

Mr Scullion said: "Mr Guthrie then drove the van back to the Wyndford?"

Mr Bennett replied: "Yes."

The advocate told the witness that he knew Mr Shields had been assaulted and claimed that that Mr Bennett put on a "charade" of being "puzzled" when initially asked questions about it by the advocate depute.

Mr Bennett earlier stated that he did not know what the car was used for at the time of the incident.

The advocate questioned the witness as to why he told the police in a statement that he was the driver of the van.

He stated that he was "surprised" officers knew about the incident and his mind was "jumbled up".

Mr Scullion asked if he was being vague about the incident to conceal his true involvement and he replied: "No."

Mr Scullion said: "If you were present in the car at the Broomielaw after the assault on Mr Shields, would you agree that it would give you a reason to make up a story about receiving a phone call in the early hours about a car that had been set on fire. It would give you a reason to tell lies?"

Mr Bennett replied: "I wasn't."

The advocate also put it to Mr Bennett that he did not hand in a time sheet at his work on the day of the alleged murder bid.

The witness replied: "I can't tell you."

Prosecutor Lorraine Glancy asked Mr Bennett if he was lying about Harvey being involved in the car being on fire to cover up his own involvement.

Mr Bennett replied: “No.”

The advocate depute also put it to the witness that it is suggested he was involved in slashing Mr Shields and that he had been incriminated to a murder.

He said: “No, I didn’t know anything about this. I’m not involved in slashing a guy - I’m not that kind of person.”

Harvey and Guthrie and a Darren Owen face a separate murder bid charge on Scott Bennett by discharging a firearm and shooting his head in a car park at a vets in Rutherglen, Lanarkshire, on December 3, 2018.

The trio are stated to have set a car on fire said to have been used in the offence in an attempt to defeat the ends of justice.

Another charge states Harvey, while acting with Guthrie and a Neil Anderson, murdered Gary More at a property in Airdrie, Lanarkshire, on September 6, 2018.

Harvey while acting with Guthrie are claimed to have set fire to the vehicle used in the alleged crime near a farm in Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire, in an attempt to pervert the course of justice on the same day.

Owen and Thomas Wilson are alleged to have murdered Rafal Lyko on February 11, 2019, in Cambuslang and Blantyre, Lanarkshire on February 2019.

Harvey is further accused of assaulting Guthrie by striking him on the head with a bottle and the body with a hammer to his injury.

The trial continues before Judge Lord Clark.