A gangland thug accused of assassinating Kevin 'Gerbil' Carroll was revealed as the victim who was stabbed and burned in a quiet village.

Craig “Rob Roy” Gallagher, is in a serious condition in hospital after he escaped a blaze at a derelict building in New Stevenston. 

The 38-year-old presented himself at Monklands General Hospital after he escaped the incident in a white van.

Two men were seen to be entering the building, one of which was Gallagher, with both leaving just before the blaze broke out. 

He was then chased by the driver of a light-coloured car from Hall Street into Stevenson Street, where he may have been chased by another man wielding a knife.

The light-coloured car then made off towards Holytown, along Stevenson Street.

A source told The Sun last night: “The attack on Gallagher was due to a Lanarkshire drug feud.

“He’s known for his links to the big Glasgow crime families, but this wasn’t anything to do with them.”

Gallagher was once accused of murdering gangland figure Carroll, 29, however charges were dropped. 

Officers are treating the incident as murder. 

Detective Superintendent Kenny Graham, Divisional CID, said: “From our enquiries so far we understand that there was an explosion in the building followed by a significant fire which subsequently destroyed it.

“Officers have been in the area all day checking CCTV and a number of people have come forward to police already and their information has been very helpful, however, we are still keen to hear from anyone else who was in the vicinity between 2330 and midnight, who may have seen the car, the man with the weapon or indeed any information that will assist our enquiry.

“Whilst we have not yet had access to the building, we believe that there has been some sort of criminal activity taking place there and that the attack on the man and the fire was linked to that.

"We do not consider this to be a random attack.

“We believe at this time that the injured man got his burns as a result of the fire/explosion.”

Anyone with information should contact Motherwell Police CID via 10, quoting reference number 0113/05/06.

Gallagher was arrested after Carroll was shot in an Asda car park in Robroyston in 2010.

Charges against him were dropped and William Paterson, 37, later received a life sentence for the killing.