Three men accused of pitchfork murder in Lanarkshire

Three men are to stand trial charged with murdering a man with a pitchfork.

Christopher Michael Mullen, 22, Ryan Mullen, 42, and Christopher Mullen, 44, are accused of killing Joseph Buchanan in a street in Douglas, Lanarkshire, on 13 April last year.

It is alleged the 35-year-old was pursued before being repeatedly struck with a pitchfork, knife and a sword or similar weapons.

Defence lawyers entered not guilty pleas to a number of charges on behalf of each of the men during a hearing at the High Court in Glasgow.

A trial date was set for March 2027.

The men face a further charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

This includes a claim of removing a CCTV hard drive from a property where the alleged murder happened.

It was also said they got rid of weapons and clothes and hid from the authorities at various places.

Locations mentioned on the charge included Glasgow, Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire and near Loch Lomond.

Prosecutors said this was all in a bid to avoid "detection, arrest and prosecution".

Separately, 44-year-old Christopher Mullen has been accused of acting with others in recklessly destroying property in Wishaw, Lanarkshire, by breaking windows and damaging a car.