Neil Martin jailed for murder bid on brother-in-law
A man who shot his brother-in-law after an argument about the best way to get home from a party has been jailed for 10 years and two months.
Neil Martin, 40, admitted attempting to murder Michael Greville in Uplawmoor, Renfrewshire, in November 2009.
Martin blasted the 49-year-old in the leg with a shotgun while travelling in a car driven by a former partner.
She was charged after the attack but the allegation was dropped after she confessed what Martin had done.
At an earlier hearing, the High Court in Glasgow heard how Martin and Mr Greville had been walking home from a party in the early hours of 1 November 2009, when an argument broke out about the best way to get home.
They eventually went their separate ways but Martin later fired on his brother-in-law from a car driven by his former partner.
Mr Greville was discovered hours later lying in a ditch next to Caldwell golf course. He was badly injured and suffering from hypothermia.
Martin's then partner, who had been unaware of his intention to shoot Mr Greville, was initially charged with the attack after she had driven him that night.
That allegation was dropped in December after she finally admitted that it was Martin who was behind the murder bid.
Jailing Martin, Lord Turnbull told him: "You deliberately shot him in the region of Caldwell golf course and then abandoned him in the countryside.
"It is both fortunate and surprising that he survived. He likely wouldn't have, but for the enthusiasm of an early morning golfer.
"This was vicious, cowardly conduct of the utmost seriousness."
Lord Turnbull told Martin that if it had not been for his early guilty plea he would have jailed him for 12 years.