A THUG blasted a mum with paintball gun in front of her children as she walked the West Highland Way during a two hour rampage.

Anthony Rasmussen shot 47-year-old Miriam Bell during the shooting spree between Glasgow and Carbeth, last June 23.

Rasmussen fired six shots from the Audi he was in and one hit Mrs Bell on the hip.

Dad-of-two Rasmussen injured 59-year-old Elizabeth Hayes who was also walking on the same route, and shot her twice to the rib cage, on the elbow and side of her face.

He also fired paint at Daniel Malone, 21, in Knightswood, Richard Wood, 63, and Scott Wilkie, 18 in Bearsden, 55-year-old Mary Summers, in Clydebank and at a car in Carbeth during his stint.

Rasmussen, 24, from Clydebank, pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court, to seven charges including shooting Mrs Hayes to her injury.

The court heard between 1.55pm and 4.10pm Rasmussen shot at random members of the public with a paintball gun.

Procurator fiscal depute Lucy Adams said around 3.50pm Mrs Summers was on Duntocher Road with her brother when she heard three loud bangs.

She said: “On the third bang, Mrs Summers felt a pain on the right side of her head in her hairline.

“She put her hand up to her head where she felt a cold liquid which she initially thought was blood, but then observed it to be yellow paint.”

Around 4pm while Mrs Hayes was walking the West Highland way with her husband she noticed a car coming towards them from Killearn.

Miss Adams said: “As the vehicle passed, Mrs Hayes was struck three times on her left side, twice to the rib cage area and once to the left elbow.

She later described seeing “the barrel of a gun” before being shot.

Shortly after this, Mrs Bell was walking behind her husband on same route, with two of their three children when the Audi slowed down beside them.

She noticed the passenger window was open and as it passed her, Rasmussen pointed what she thought was an air rifle in the direction of her and her children and fired six times.

She screamed which alerted her husband and he noted the registration of the car, and contacted the police.

The court heard apprentice builder Mr Wilkie was hit from behind and on his side when he was on a driveway in Bearsden.

Pensioner Mr Wood was walking along the street alone when Rasmussen struck from a passing car.

Rasumussen made no comment to relevant questions, he was later arrested and cautioned and charged, and made no reply.

Sheriff Martin Jones QC deferred sentence for reports and continued bail but warned “in all likelihood he’s facing custody”.