Angels'' Share star Paul Brannigan cleared of stabbing his own brother in Glasgow

An award-winning actor has been cleared of repeatedly stabbing his brother after prosecutors binned the case.

Paul Brannigan, 34, was accused of assaulting sibling David Brannigan on New Year’s Day 2020.

The Angels’ Share star was said to have struck his brother on the head and body with a knife at a property in Glasgow’s Parkhead.

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Brannigan, denied the charge of assaulting David to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and danger of his life.

Cleared: Actor Paul BranniganCleared: Actor Paul Brannigan
Cleared: Actor Paul Brannigan

He was due to go to trial before a jury at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

But, he did not appear in the dock as prosecutor Carrie Stevens decided not to call the case.

A spokesperson for the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service said: “The Procurator Fiscal received a report relating to a 33-year-old man and an incident said to have taken place on 1 January 2010.

“After careful consideration of the facts and circumstances of the case, including the available admissible evidence, the Procurator Fiscal decided there should be no proceedings taken at this time.

"The Crown reserves the right to proceed in the future should further evidence become available."

Brannigan, who also appeared in River City and Sunshine on Leith, was also accused of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.

He was claimed to have shouted and sworn and thrown objects as well as damage furniture at the house on Stamford Gate.

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Prosecutors also claimed he brandished a knife then pursued his brother and Margaret Devlin.

Brannigan faced a final charge of possessing cocaine at the property where he lives and had entered not guilty pleas to all the allegations.

The BAFTA-winner had previously urged young Scots to get creative to steer clear of knife crime.

Brannigan, who had a tough upbringing in the East End of Glasgow, taught himself how to read after he was jailed as a teen.

In 2003, Brannigan, then 16, was caught in a tit-for-tat violent feud involving several families in Barrowfield, which was named in a 2010 report as the most deprived area in Scotland.

In June that year Brannigan and his uncle were charged with firing a shotgun at a house.

The three people inside, George and Helen Ness, both 39, and their son George jnr, 20, were unhurt.

Brannigan was sentenced to four years and three months in jail after being found guilty in May 2004 at the High Court in Glasgow.

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He was found not proven on a second charge of possession of a firearm while his uncle Anthony Brannigan was given seven years in prison after being found guilty of both firearm charges.

After his release, He joined the Strathclyde Police violence reduction unit, where he was spotted by scriptwriter Paul Laverty and later given the lead role of Robbie in The Angels’ Share.

The 2012 movie - centred on a plot to steal malt whisky from a Highland distillery – was a smash hit around the world and catapulted Brannigan, who still lives in Barrowfield with his partner and their child, into the international spotlight.

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