A THUG linked to the high-profile hunt for a then missing mum has been cleared of murder.

Craig Munro had been accused of killing John Smith, 52, at a house in Stevenston, North Ayrshire in October last year.

Violence erupted amid claims Farrah Gillespie had been ‘stirring things up’ between 31 year-old Munro and Mr Smith’s nephew John McDade.

Jurors heard comments had been made about Munro and Mr McDade having both had sex with the same woman.

Miss Gillespie was later reported missing and found to be in the company of Munro and 27-year-old Allan Robertson shortly after the alleged killing.

The jury returned a not proven verdict to claims he killed Mr Smith.

But Munro was still jailed for nine years at the High Court in Glasgow after being found guilty of attempting to murder Mr McDade.

Jurors heard Mr McDade turned up at Miss Gillespie’s home in Ayr last October.

Munro – who he did not know – was also there.

He went on to quiz Mr McDade about a woman he was dating. It emerged the thug had also once been in a relationship with her.

Mr McDade was later at his home in Stevenston with his uncle when Miss Gillespie showed up in her purple Ford Fiesta. He recalled her “shouting” at him before a Honda car “screeched” up to the house.

Mr McDade said an attacker got out armed with a “machete sword” that had a 15-inch blade. The witness went on: “He just came towards me as fast as he could. We had no chance. He hit me with the sword, I turned away and he swung it in the direction of my uncle John.”

Both uncle and nephew were said to have been bloodied. Mr Smith later died.

Munro, of Drumoyne, Glasgow, had denied the charge.