Teenagers Sentenced to Life for Murder of Kayden Moy on Irvine Beach

London, United Kingdom Jul 21, 2026 ALN: Three teenagers who brutally murdered 16-year-old Kayden Moy on Irvine Beach were given life sentences today.

Cole Turley, 18, Jay Stewart, 19, and a 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, killed Kayden on May 17, 2025.

Turley fatally stabbed Kayden amid a dispute between rival gangs from East Kilbride, Lanarkshire.

The evil trio fled the beach which was packed with horrified teenagers as they "cuddled" and shook hands.

The "ecstatic" thugs went on to create a sick rap song mocking Kayden who at the time was fighting for his life.

Turley also acted out the vicious murder on the couch of a friend whose flat was used as a hide-out.

Stewart was subject to a community payback order at the time for possession of a machete which was imposed four days before the murder. His other previous conviction was a breach of the peace with a knife.

Stewart and the 15-year-old were found guilty of murdering the amateur footballer who played for Busby AFC.

Jurors had determined the duo acted alongside Turley when committing the murder.

Turley pleaded guilty at the High Court in Glasgow to murder before the trial took place was incriminated by his two co-accused.

Judge Lord Scott today sentenced Turley to 16 years. Stewart was jailed for 16 years which will be initially served in a young offenders institution.

The 15-year-old was given 14 years which will start in secure accommodation until he is 19.

The judge told the trio: "Your emphasis being intoxication through drunk or drugs is no excuse whatsoever.

"Three young people travelled to Irvine Beach armed with the intent on reprisal for some slight hurt caused to someone associated with your group. Two of you took weapons.

"In the case of Cole Turley, a knife was taken which was used to stab and murder.

"Kayden Moy's death was pointless and unnecessary.

"The victim could have been anyone in the group. Kayden was the one who slipped and fell.

"You did not care whether he lived or died and celebrated what you did.

"Despite claims of intoxication, you had the presence of mind in the aftermath to conceal your involvement in the appalling crime consistent with this being a planned attack. The sentence for murder is a life sentence."

After the sentencing was heard, members of family and friends in the public gallery became animated with each other with shouts of "scumbags" heard. A number of police officers in the court had to become involved to separate both sides.

The trial was told that Turley, Stewart and the 15-year-old were members of the Murray Boys gang in East Kilbride.

Kayden and friends were part of the rival Himshie gang.

Unemployed Stewart sent a threatening message on social media to 18-year-old Jay Mooney - of the Himshie gang - weeks before the stabbing.

Part of the message said: "I will rip wee Kayden’s lungs out of him. Yous are f***ing grasses…stop acting bold.”

Kayden, Jay and a group of friends went to Irvine Beach on the afternoon of May 17.

The killing was sparked after Jay attacked an associate of the Murray Boys later that day. Jurors heard that peacemaker Kayden had stepped in to break it up.

Turley, Stewart and the 15-year-old, on being informed of the attack, made their way from East Kilbride to Irvine Beach armed with weapons.

The trio met their associate near the beach and the 15-year-old asked him: "Do you want to see a fight?" and referred to the "Jay Mooney group."

Turley, Stewart and the 15-year-old went on to throw rocks "the size of hands" at Kayden and his friends.

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Prosecutor Liam Ewing KC told jurors in his closing speech: "The rocks don't appear to have struck anyone - it was an exercise to flush out the Himshie group to invoke a reaction and it did so."

Kayden and two friends - who were unarmed - went on to confront the three teenagers.

Turley then whipped out a large lockback knife while Stewart held a police-style extendable baton.

One of Kayden’s friends, who gave evidence, told the pair to get rid of their weapons and offered to "box" them in a fist fight.

The 17-year-old boy said: “I ran to the right of [Turley] as has Kayden. He ran behind me.

“I jumped over the grass ledge and Kayden kind of slipped and Cole Turley jumped on him.”

Turley plunged the blade into the teenager twice - on the body and thigh - before he fled.

Stewart brandished his baton and was heard to shout "Murray Boys". He then told a witness at the scene "He f***ing deserved it."

Members of Kayden’s family left the public gallery when horror CCTV and mobile phone footage of the stabbing was played to the court.

Stricken Kayden hobbled down from the sand dune where the stabbing took place to the beach below.

Turley admitted the killing, while Stewart and the 15-year-old were found guilty of murder last month following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow (Image: Newsquest)

His friend recalled: “I remember blood going down Kayden’s leg and Kayden going really white and his eyes started to close.”

Another pal told the court that Kayden fell unconscious and his lips turned blue.

The young victim was given first aid by a woman at the beach before mercy crews took over.

He was rushed to hospital by ambulance, but Kayden suffered a second cardiac arrest and sadly passed away at 11.33pm.

The cause of death was "stab wound to the trunk."

After running from the scene, Turley stuck the knife into the grass and was overheard boasting that he "just done him."

Turley also shouted "One-nil."

CCTV showed the trio running down a road near to the beach - stopping momentarily to embrace each other.

Stewart and Turley shook hands while the 15-year-old cuddled the knife attacker.

The trio jumped a taxi to the flat of Turley's 19-year-old friend Fraser Wallace in East Kilbride.

A CCTV Image of the accused walking away from the crime scene at Irvine Beach (Image: Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service)

The assailants barged past him, locked him inside and took his mobile phone while they asked "Is he dead? Is he dead?"

On being told that Kayden was still alive, the witness told jurors that the teenagers made up a rap song about their victim.

The teenager said: "They were singing Kayden bop, Kayden bop - saying they stabbed him. I thought it was f***ing sick."

He added that the song - which upset Kayden’s family in court - also mentioned the youngster being "Cheffed up" and they mimicked touching their hips and legs.

Mr Ewing asked Mr Wallace what the mood was at that point and he replied: "They were ecstatic, over the moon, I have never seen people as happy in my life."

The witness went on to say that Turley also jumped on his couch.

Mr Ewing: “What did he do?”

The teenager: “Exactly what he did on the beach on my couch. Lunged on my couch like he was stabbing Kayden. Like he was really proud of it.”

The witness stated that the 15-year-old told him that he gave the murder weapon to Turley before the stabbing.

Turley hid the lock back knife inside a hole he cut in Mr Wallace's divan bed while Stewart's cosh was stored under a chair in the living room. A kitchen knife which contained the 15-year-old's DNA was recovered from Mr Wallace's freezer.

Mr Wallace gave the teenagers a change of clothes while the blood stained garments were put in a backpack.

Mr Wallace made two 999 calls to report that those responsible for Mr Moy's death were at his home.

By the time armed police arrived at Mr Wallace's home the trio had escaped from a first-floor window.

Officers later caught up with the 15-year-old at his home when he was initially treated as a witness.

He claimed that they were not in a feud with Mr Moy and "did not see" the stabbing as he was "walking away" from the incident.

The boy also stated that he had no knowledge that Turley and Stewart had weapons in their possession. He was charged with murder over two weeks later.

Officers traced Stewart meantime and he told officers: “I didn’t murder him. I didn’t pursue at him. I did not go at him with a weapon and did not show. No way I was going to use a weapon.”

Mark Stewart KC, defending Turley, said: "He struggles to even comprehend the consequences of his actions. He is in full disbelief.

"Cole Turley did not intend to kill Kayden Moy and did not plan to kill Kayden Moy and did not want to kill Kayden Moy but accepts that he did.

"Having a knife and engaged in that confrontation and using it resulted in the death.

"He knows the damage and pain he has done. He cannot contemplate that it will always be there."

Donald Findlay KC, defending Stewart, said: "Mr Stewart played no active part in the death of Kayden Moy.

"He had no active contemplation that anyone should suffer a severe injury or loss of their life.

"He regrets what happened."

Ian Duguid KC, defending the 15-year-old, said: "My client feels that his life has been ruined. He appreciates that there has been a loss of life for which he bears responsibility."

After Kayden's death, his football team started a fundraiser which raised more than £16,000 to cover his funeral expenses.

On what would have been the teenager's 17th birthday last year - on Father's Day - Kayden's dad Paul shared a poignant post.

He said: "Happy birthday my boy, Kayden Moy - love you, dad."