Teenagers sentenced to 46 years' detention for murdering Kayden Moy on Scottish beach
Three teenagers have been sentenced for a total of 46 years in detention for the murder of a school pupil who was fatally stabbed on a Scottish beach last year.
Jay Stewart, 18, Cole Turley, 18, and a male, 15, who cannot be named for legal reasons, acted together to carry out the vicious attack on Kayden Moy, 16, in Irvine last year.
Turley previously pleaded guilty to murdering Moy before the criminal trial started at Glasgow High Court earlier this year.
On May 17, 2025, Stewart and the unnamed teen, while acting with Turley, pursued Moy amid a bitter dispute between rival gangs from East Kilbride.
After fleeing the scene, the trio went on to produce a rap track mocking Moy.
It also emerged Turley acted out Moy's murder on the sofa of a friend whose property was used as a hide-out.
Moreover, Stewart was then subject to a community order for possession of a machete, which was imposed just four days before Moy was killed.
Stewart and the anonymous suspect had lodged a special defence of incrimination – a formal legal notice used in Scottish criminal procedure where the accused claims someone else committed a crime – against Turley.
However, the jury returned a unanimous verdict of murder for Stewart, as well as a majority verdict of murder for the unknown teen in Scotland's highest criminal court last month.
Jurors concluded the duo acted alongside Turley when committing the murder.
Stewart was sentenced to a minimum of 16 years, while Turley and the other boy were also detained for a minimum of 16 years and 14 years, respectively.
Sentencing, Judge Lord Scott told the perpetrators: “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.
“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.”
Speaking outside the court after the sentencing, Moy's father Paul said his son “had his whole life ahead of him”.
He added: “Every birthday, every family gathering, every milestone from now on will be a reminder that he should be here with us. That is the life sentence our family has been given. The choices made that day have devastated our family forever.
“We hope today’s sentence sends a clear message that violence has devastating and irreversible consequences. One moment of violence has destroyed so many lives, and no family should ever have to endure the pain that we now live with every day.”