Glasgow gangland hit sparks murder hunt

MURDER detectives have stepped up the hunt for the gunman who executed a man in broad daylight in a gangland hit.

James Differ, 42, from Glasgow, is understood to have been shot in the back of the head and leg and thrown from a balcony in the east end of the city.

Yesterday teams of officers were patrolling the streets of Garthamlock and conducting door-to-door inquiries in a bid to find vital clues.

Detectives were also scouring CCTV footage taken nearby in a bid to catch the gunman.

A Strathclyde Police spokeswoman said: "The inquiry is continuing and officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward."

The murder came hours before another shooting in Airdrie, Lanarkshire, which left Colin McPhee, 37, fighting for life.

Differ, who was known to police, was found lying in a pool of blood in the back garden of a flat in Garthamlock, on Thursday. A neighbour tried to help him but he died in hospital.

His sister Janice, 48, from Kirkintilloch, said he was killed at a time when he was trying to put his life in order.

She said: "He was a heroin addict but he had cleaned himself up and was getting help trying to stay clean and go straight.

"He was a very quiet and kind-hearted person. James wouldn’t have hurt a fly. He did spend time in jail, but it was only for motoring offences. We must find who did this to do him."

His brother-in-law Martin Glen said: "James was not a bad guy. I don’t know who would have done this to him. He has obviously got mixed up in something. Everyone in his family are shocked. It has been a real blow."