THERE is "no evidence" that a teenager was physically involved in the murder of a 16-year-old boy on Irvine Beach, a trial has heard.
Jay Stewart, 18, along with a 15-year-old co-accused, is stated to have killed Kayden Moy on May 17, 2025.
Cole Turley, 18, pleaded guilty to the murder before the trial started at the High Court in Glasgow.
The charge says Stewart and the 15-year-old, while acting with Turley, pursued Mr Moy and caused him to fall to the ground before they repeatedly stabbed him to the body.
It is alleged that Stewart and the other teenager had previous ill-will and malice towards him.
Jurors today heard a closing speech from Stewart’s defence KC Donald Findlay on Wednesday, June 3.
Mr Findlay warned the jury about his "worry" and "regret" regarding social media coverage of the attack and its effect on the evidence heard at trial.
The advocate then pointed the finger at Turley as being responsible for Mr Moy's murder.
Mr Findlay said: "Turley accepted responsibility and one thing we know beyond a reasonable doubt is that Jay Stewart didn't place a finger on Kayden Moy on the day he died.
"Mr Stewart was not within yards of Kayden Moy when he was stabbed and died.
"Mr Stewart had no physical involvement whatsoever in the death of Kayden Moy - there is not a scrap of evidence.
"Not for a moment should you think that Jay Stewart killed Kayden Moy or caused the injury."
Jurors had previously heard that Stewart, the 15-year-old and Turley were part of the Murray Boys gang from East Kilbride. Mr Moy and friends were stated to be from the rival Himshie group.
Mr Findlay addressed the gang background to the trial and said: "People are not here because of their involvement in bad behaviour, doing bad things in East Kilbride - it is not why we are here.
"You cannot say they are part of a bad lot and they must face the consequences. No. This is a murder trial at the High Court and there is nothing more serious than that."
The advocate went on to claim that the jury's verdict will be "life-changing" for his client, no matter the result.
Mr Findlay stated that witness Fraser Wallace, 19, who was visited by the trio after the fatal stabbing, was the person the Crown "rely" on for their case.
The advocate told the jury that Mr Wallace lied to them "more than once" and that the lies were "cold, calculated and despicable".
Mr Findlay stated: "Don't let him get away with it."
The defence advocate also claimed that another witness wrongly told jurors that Stewart was seen with a knife that day. The witness had later admitted to reading it on social media.
Mr Findlay stated that there was not a "nanogram" of Stewart’s DNA on the murder weapon.
He added: "We know he didn't lay a finger on Kayden Moy and we know that Mr Stewart didn't handle the knife."
Jurors previously heard that Turley and the 15-year-old put up their hoods on arrival in Irvine by train.
Mr Findlay said: “If that was them trying to conceal their identities from the cameras - you did not, Mr Stewart. He had no hood to pull up. He came off the train in the same t-shirt… he had nothing to hide.”
Mr Findlay stated that Turley acted in a “crazy and evil” way in committing the murder.
He also addressed claims that his client took a step forward as the fatal stabbing took place, which he stated was the Crown "scraping the bottom of the barrel."
The advocate stated that others had also stepped forward amid the "chaos" of what was taking place.
Mr Findlay went on to address his client being seen with an extendable baton at the beach.
He told jurors that a witness had told them that Stewart was “trying to look scary".
The advocate said: “There is a difference between trying to look scary and knowing that there was someone about to take a knife and plunge it in another human being.”
Mr Findlay stated that his client did not know the extent of Mr Moy’s stabbing and that he “celebrated” it.
Mr Findlay asked jurors what evidence there was that Stewart knew Turley carried a knife to the beach. The advocate also refuted a suggestion that the incident was “set up".
The advocate told jurors that the confrontation was “no different from other confrontations that there had been over the years".
Mr Findlay later stated: "The fact is he was behaving like an idiot afterwards... he was waving his baton around trying to look scary but I am not suggesting he is a nice young man or looking for approval or anything like that.
"He was not involved in the death of Kayden Moy."
The trial continues before Judge Lord Scott.
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