Teenagers found guilty of Kayden Moy Irvine Beach murder

Jay Stewart, 18, and a 15-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons, acted together with 18-year-old Cole Turley to assault the teen on May 17, 2025.

Turley had previously pleaded guilty to Mr Moy's murder.

Kayden Moy (Image: Police Scotland)

Following an initial confrontation at the beach, together with Turley, they pursued Kayden, causing him to fall to the ground, where he was repeatedly stabbed on the body with a knife.

The victim was so badly injured in the attack that he later died.

A jury on Friday found both teenagers guilty of murder following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

Members of Kayden's family applauded when the jurors - four of whom were visibly emotional - delivered their verdict.

Those in support of the two teenagers shouted, "Grasses, grasses the lot of you" and "Keep your chin up, we are appealing it".

As Stewart was being led into the cells, he smirked at Kayden's family, which was met with shouts of "Oh my god".

The trio will be sentenced together next month.

The High Court in Glasgow (Image: NQ)

Judge Lord Scott said: "You have been found guilty of murder and there is a sentence proscribed by law for that.

"I need information on your background due to your age.

"In the meantime, you will be remanded in custody."

The judge later told jurors that it was an "emotive case" due to the ages of the teenagers and offered an exemption from future jury service.

The trial heard that Kayden was fatally stabbed amid a dispute between rival gangs from East Kilbride.

The callous killers fled the beach, which was packed with horrified teenagers as they "cuddled" and shook hands.

The "ecstatic" thugs went on to create a sick rap song mocking Kayden, who at the time was fighting for his life.

Turley also acted out the vicious murder on the couch of a friend whose flat was used as a hideout.

Stewart was subject to a community payback order at the time for possession of a machete, which was imposed four days before the murder. His other previous conviction was a breach of the peace with a knife.

The jury previously heard that Turley, Stewart and the 15-year-old were members of the Murray Boys gang. 

Kayden and friends were part of the rival Himshie gang.

Unemployed Stewart sent a threatening message on social media to 18-year-old Jay Mooney - of the Himshie gang - weeks before the stabbing.

Part of the message said: "I will rip wee Kayden’s lungs out of him. Yous are f*****g grasses… stop acting bold.”

Irvine Beach was taped off after the murder (Image: Staff)

Kayden, Mooney and a group of friends went to Irvine Beach on the afternoon of May 17.

The killing was sparked after Mooney attacked an associate of the Murray Boys later that day. Jurors heard that peacemaker Kayden had stepped in to break it up.

Turley, Stewart and the 15-year-old, on being informed of the attack, made their way from East Kilbride to Irvine Beach armed with weapons.

The trio met their associate near the beach and the 15-year-old asked him, "Do you want to see a fight?" and referred to the "Jay Mooney group".

Turley, Stewart and the 15-year-old went on to throw rocks "the size of hands" at Kayden and his friends.

Prosecutor Liam Ewing KC told jurors in his closing speech: "The rocks don't appear to have struck anyone - it was an exercise to flush out the Himshie group to invoke a reaction and it did so."

Members of Kayden’s family left the public gallery when horror CCTV and mobile phone footage of the stabbing was played to the court.

Stricken Kayden hobbled down from the sand dune where the stabbing took place to the beach below.

His friend recalled: “I remember blood going down Kayden’s leg and Kayden going really white and his eyes started to close.”

After running from the scene, Turley stuck the knife into the grass and was overheard boasting that he "just done him".

Turley also shouted "One-nil".

CCTV showed the trio running down a road near to the beach - stopping momentarily to embrace each other.

Stewart and Turley shook hands while the 15-year-old cuddled the knife attacker.

They were said to have been "ecstatic" after the incident, with a witness telling the court: "I have never seen people as happy in my life."