Ethan O'Kane killed John McLardie in Glasgow street attack

Ethan O'Kane, 20, was part of an attack on John McLardie in Glasgow's Victoria Road in late April 2023.

The 68-year-old was pushed and punched causing him to smack his head off the pavement.

Mr McLardie - who had been the ex-chair of the city's Govanhill Housing Association -passed away months after the attack having never recovered from the assault.

O'Kane was today sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow.

He had earlier been found guilty of a culpable homicide charge.

Lord Arthurson told the killer: "Rather than render assistance to your stricken victim, you promptly left the scene of the crime.

"This attack has had terrible and fatal consequences for your victim. 

"It involved a single blow to a vulnerable man, who was a complete stranger.

"You had smoked cannabis that day and you described your behaviour as impulsive."

The judge then concluded his remarks: "As you continue to reflect on events, one day you will return to your family and your future life.

"Mr McLardie cannot do so - his last days were spent bedbound, being fed by a tube, medicated for seizures and requiring the assistance of excellent care home staff.

"You must bear the consequences of your criminal conduct that day."

O'Kane testified during his trial and claimed he had only pushed Mr McLardie.

He stated it was another young man - he knew only as 'ST' - that had floored the victim.

The incident was captured on CCTV.

It is thought it may have been sparked due to the manner the individual O'Kane said was 'ST" was riding his bike.

The footage showed Mr McLardie - who lived locally - falling to the ground.

O'Kane told jurors that any suggestion he punched the victim was "completely wrong".

The attackers fled the scene. O'Kane went to a flat nearby. He said he was not aware Mr McLardie was injured.

The thug told the trial it was days after Mr McLardie passed away on December 31 2023 that he found out about the death.

The jury was shown an Instagram exchange O'Kane had with his then friend and former co-accused Matteullah Siddiqui.

This included the killer callously stating "c***'s dead, bro".

O'Kane insisted in court that he had no idea the individual he knew as "ST" was going to strike Mr McLardie.

Asked by his lawyer Allan MacLeod how he felt about the death, he replied: "Horrible, really bad.

"I shoved him but I did not know that he was going to punch him. I regret getting involved so badly."

It was also put to O'Kane, of Glasgow's Summerston, had he ever saw "ST" again.

He claimed he had "bumped" into him in the city centre around the time he learned about the death.

O'Kane told the trial: "We have a very brief conversation. I informed him that the man he had punched in the face had died.

"He never said much, he froze - his face dropped. He kind of stood there for a couple of seconds - after that I walked away from him."

O'Kane said he had not been able to trace him since, none of his friends knew where he stayed or what even his full name was.

Defence advocate Mr MacLeod today said O'Kane was "reflective" about what happened and that the killer "does not like the person he was three years ago".

He stated in a pre-sentencing report that he "knows the damage that he has done" and "thinks about Mr McLardie every day".

It emerged O'Kane pleaded guilty to a violent offence in May 2023 - weeks after this killing - involving threats and throwing items at a person.

Siddiqui, 20, of the city's Calton, had also faced the culpable homicide charge, but jurors returned a not proven verdict.

Tributes were paid to Mr McLardie following his death.

Govanhill Housing Association - where he had been chairman up until 2023 - described him as "a very active and much-loved member of our community. He will be sorely missed."