‘A day ago I saw father’s body lying on a cold table, blood on his face’

THE son of a man who was murdered as he tried to stop his car from being stolen has spoken about the devastating impact of seeing his father’s body and how his mother had been left feeling she “no longer wants to live”.

James Simpson was run down after spotting thieves trying to take his Land Rover Discovery on Tuesday in Ashgill, near Larkhall, South Lanarkshire.

The 76-year-old retired lorry driver – who was at home with his wife, Minnie – had gone out of the house to try to protect his property and was hit by the car.

His son Jamie, 39, accompanied by Mrs Simpson, made an emotional public appeal yesterday for information to help catch his father’s killer.

He said: “Five days ago my dad was a man deeply content with his life that he worked hard to build. He and my mum were living every day to its maximum, even though they are both in their seventies.

“Both my parents never took or stole anything. All they wanted was to work hard, be happy themselves and with those around them.

“If you asked anyone what my dad was like, they would tell you he would laugh and joke with everyone. He just loved life.”

After a pause, he continued: “One day ago I saw my father lying on a cold table, blood on his face, and now I have to watch my mother suffer from flashbacks of what she witnessed that day, breaking into uncontrollable fits, and listen every day as my mother tells me she no longer wants to live.”

Mrs Simpson, 72, who still works part-time as a teacher at a local primary school, was tearful as her son made their appeal. She is said to be too traumatised to fully help police with their investigation.

Mr Simpson, a civil servant, said: “These individuals thought it was their right to break into my parents’ home, take the car keys and steal the car, and when my father ran to defend the property he worked hard for, these individuals also felt it was their right to run over my father, leaving my dad abandoned, dying on the kerb.

“Please, if there is any information you have that would help in this investigation, no matter how small or insignificant it may be, please come forward as soon as you can.”

Detective Superintendent Robbie Allan said the investigation was at a very early stage, but he was “entirely confident” whoever was responsible would be caught.

“This incident escalated from what was the theft of a motor vehicle to the most horrific of murders,” the officer said. “I firmly believe anyone involved in this will have confided in someone.

“If you are that person, consider your conscience and please come forward.”

Police said they believed Mr Simpson was the victim of a targeted car theft that had gone “completely wrong”, and that the identity of the culprits was known within the local community.

Officers are looking for a white man in his thirties with short dark hair, who was wearing dark clothing.

They also said the registration of the stolen black Land Rover – which was discovered abandoned between Ashgill and the Clyde valley village of Crossford – was SG57 GVN.

Mr Allan said that, because the car was abandoned in a remote location, they believe a second party had been involved in helping those responsible effect their escape.

He said: “The answer is out in the community, and we do want members of the community to come forward and give us information, give us the hard evidence we need to arrest those responsible for this horrific murder.”

Mr Allan added that forensic evidence gleaned from the scene and the vehicle would play a “huge part” in the ongoing inquiry.