Three teenagers have been sentenced for the murder of 16-year-old Kayden Moy on Irvine Beach in Ayrshire. The perpetrators, including Jay Stewart and Cole Turley,were convicted at Glasgow High Court after footage revealed them celebrating the attack.
Minimum 16-year sentences for Stewart and Turley
At the Glasgow High Court, Judge Lord Scott handed down minimum sentences of 16 years to Cole Turley, 18, and Jay Stewart, 19. A third accomplice, a 15-year-old who remains unnamed for legal reasons, received a minimum sentence of 14 years. According to the report, the court heard that the trio arrived at Irvine Beach with a clear intention to attack , armed with a lockback knife used by Turley and a police-style extendable baton carried by Stewart.
The brutality of the encounter was detailed through witness testimony, which described how Cole Turley jumped on Kayden Moy after the teenager slipped, stabbing him twice in the body and thigh. Kayden Moy, an apprentice painter and decorator, suffered a second cardiac arrest and passed away at 11:33 p.m. following the assault . Lord Scott noted during sentencing that the attackers showed a complete lack of concern for whether Kayden Moy lived or died.
The Murray Boys' targeted strike against the Himshie gang
The killing was not a random act of violence but the result of a territorial feud between youth gangs. As the report says, the three attackers were members of the Murray Boys gang based in East Kilbride, while Kayden Moy and his friends were associated with a rival group known as the Himshie gang. This clash reflects a disturbing pattern of youth gang rivalry where territorial disputes escalate into lethal violence.
The attackers demonstrated a level of premeditation by taking a train from East Kilbride to Irvine specifically to confront the rival group. This movement of gang members across regions to settle scores suggests a highly mobile and volatile environment for youth in these circles, where local frictions are amplified by a desire for dominance over rival factions.
The 'one-nil' boast and the rap song of the attackers
Some of the most harrowing evidence presented to the jury involved CCTV and mobile phone footage. The footage shows the trio running from the scene and standing on sand dunes, where Cole Turley was seen sticking his knife into the grass and shouting "one-nil" while boasting that he had "just done him." Jay Stewart was captured shirtless and holding a blunt weapon, while the 15-year-old was seen hugging Turley.
The cruelty extended beyond the beach; after taking a taxi to the home of a 19-year-old friend named Fraser Wallace in East Kilbride, the group reportedly composed a rap song about Kayden Moy upon learning he was still alive. This behavior underscores a profound desensitization to violence, treating a lethal stabbing as a victory to be celebrated through music and camaraderie.
The role of social media in the Irvine Beach ambush
A critical element of the crime was the use of digital tracking to locate the victim. The court heard that the Murray Boys members discovered through social media that Kayden Moy and his friends had congregated at Irvine Beach, which prompted their journey to Ayrshire. This highlights how social media has transitioned from a communication tool to a tactical asset for gang reconnaissance.
However, several details remain unverified. It is not clear which specific social media platforms were used to track Kayden Moy , nor is it known if other members of the Murray Boys were monitoring the situation remotely. Furthermore, while the report focuses on the perpetrators, there has been little public information regarding the current state of the Himshie gang or whether this murder has triggered further retaliatory threats in East Kilbride.
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