‘Ladies and gentlemen, there are three verdicts open to you, guilty, not guilty and not proven. Not guilty and not proven are acquittal verdicts and have the same effect. The accused walks free and cannot again be tried for this crime. I can take your verdict from you at any time. You should not rush to judgement, but there is no minimum period you should devote to your deliberations. I can accept a verdict which is unanimous or by a majority. However, if your verdict is by a majority, then at least eight of you must be in favour of guilty before you may bring in such a verdict. Please elect one of your number to chair your deliberations, if you have not already done so. Your spokesman or spokeswoman should be ready to announce your decision when you return to court with your verdict. Will you now please retire and consider your verdict on the charge of murder which remains against the accused, Charles Gallagher.’

The macer approached the jury and, having advise them to take their notes and copies of the photographs with them, ushered them through the door and into the jury room. When the last juror filed past him he closed the door and locked it, before hurrying onto the bench to lead his lordship back to his chambers. It was five past eleven. The trial of Her Majesty’s Advocate against Charles Gallagher was over. All that remained was the verdict.

Early afternoon and a phone call had advised McAllister that the jury was still deliberating. It was time to turn the screw.

McAllister sat down at the table opposite the sullen figure of Tom McGarry who displayed no reaction to his arrival.

‘Is the machine ready to go?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Switch it on, please. This is interview room two at Stewart Street Police Office. The time is now 2.25. My name is Superintendent Grant McAllister. I will ask the two other officers present to identify themselves.’

‘Detective Inspector David Craig, Strathclyde Police.’

‘Detective Sergeant Tom McSherry, also Strathclyde Police.’

‘Mr McGarry, will you state your full name please...no response. I confirm that Mr McGarry is present. Inspector Craig.’

‘Yes, he is here and has declined to give his name.’

‘Sergeant McSherry.’

‘Mr McGarry is present and has declined to speak.’

‘Mr McGarry, you have already been charged with a contravention of the Firearms Act of 1968. I am now going to ask you questions about a shooting which took place in Brown Street in Glasgow last Friday. You are not obliged to answer these questions but if you do, your answers will be tape-recorded and may be given in evidence in any subsequent proceedings. Do you understand? Again, no response. Very well.

‘Mr McGarry, were you in Brown Street last Friday when a man was shot twice?

‘Do you accept that a Browning self-loading pistol was found in your bag when you were detained at Stranraer?