A SCUNNERED mum whose daughter's neck was crushed by a hit-and-run thug in Castlemilk has hit out calling him a 'cowardly monster'.

The woman spoke out following yesterday's conviction of Gerald Gavan, 22, who tried to kill six children in a horrific hit-and-run in the area's Stravannan Road last March -  after they innocently got caught up in a bitter feud.

She claimed the dangerous brute "hid like a wee boy" after mowing down the schoolgirl and five friends, then aged between 12 and 14, in the botched murder bid on rival Billy McGregor, also known as William Dearie, 21. 

Glasgow Times:

The girl suffered a broken neck, which doctors feared could kill or paralyse her, when Gavan reversed over her and sped off.

She told The Scottish Sun: "He’s a monster. Gavan tried to murder my child and five other kids but was such a coward, he reversed over her to escape.

“He was only caught three weeks after the attack on all these lives. He hid like a wee boy. If he had a beef with Billy, sort it out privately. Don’t bring innocent kids into it by trying to kill them too.”

She added: “The car accelerated and steered towards the target, tra­velling diagonally and mounting the pavement. As the car collided with the group, six of them were thrown up in different directions.

“Two of the children were hit with such force that they were carried over a parked car landing on the ground opposite.”

Glasgow Times:

We reported yesterday that Gavan and McGregor have links to opposing sides connected to the murder of Jamie Lee, above, in the area in July 2017.

A judge on Tuesday watched graphic footage of the children being hurtled into the air as the carpet salesman, from East Kilbride, hit both them and McGregor.

Gavan is now behind bars after he pleaded guilty to attempting to murder the six youngsters on March 24 this year.

Glasgow Times:

He also admitted trying to kill McGregor, above, in the same incident.

He was remanded in custody at the High Court in Glasgow pending sentencing next month.

The mother, who was not named, said her daughter still has mental scars from the horrific incident.

She said: "When she cat­ches a car out of the corn­er of her eye, if it’s mak­ing a noise, you see panic and fear in her face.

“There’s a split second where she thinks it’s coming towards her before she realises it isn’t.

“She’s lost her sparkle but she’ll get it back.

“She had five months off school including the summer holidays. She’s back now and hopefully that will get a bit of normality back. She has been back to the shops too.

“She wasn’t nervous, she’s pretty unflappable.”

Gavan's former co-accused Gary Owen – who had not guilty pleas accepted – is a relative of Jordan Owen wanted in connection with the play park shooting of Jamie Lee.

CCTV of the incident was played to the packed court. Distressed relatives of the young victims sobbed. One woman left the courtroom in tears.