Man Admits Murder by Vehicle Collision in Greenock

A 20-year-old man has entered a guilty plea for the murder of another man, having intentionally struck him with a car in Greenock. Richard Mullan struck Michael Beaton after driving onto a pavement on Drumfrochar Road in the town on November 26, 2023. Mr. Beaton, aged 35, was transported to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow but succumbed to his injuries later that day. Mullan’s legal representative entered a guilty plea to the murder charge on his behalf at the High Court in Glasgow. Lewis Wiggins, 23, who was also accused, had faced the identical charge, but his plea of not guilty was accepted by the prosecution. A different individual, 26-year-old Alexander McQuillan, is facing a distinct charge related to the murder of Mr. Beaton. Allegations state that while Mr. Beaton was on the ground after being struck by the vehicle, Mr. McQuillan repeatedly hit him on the head with what is described as a machete or a comparable weapon. Among the additional allegations he confronts is a charge of attempting to obstruct justice. This specifically includes a claim that he took Mr. Beaton’s car without permission and subsequently abandoned it at a car park prior to changing his attire. Angela Gray, Mr. McQuillan’s King’s Counsel, entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf. He is now scheduled to stand trial in November 2025. Mullan’s sentencing has been postponed until that time.