A CONVICTED Greenock gunman jailed for shooting up a car with two people inside in the east end of the town has been charged with being 'unlawfully at large' from prison.

Gregory McAulay, 39, is said to have been deemed illegally missing on April 4 prior to an appearance from custody at the sheriff court last week.

The charge against him alleges that he 'did remain unlawfully at large in that (he) did fail to take reasonable steps to return to prison having received written notification'.

McAulay was found guilty of firearms offences at the High Court in Glasgow in 2015.

A jury decided by majority verdict that he 'culpably and recklessly' discharged a gun at a car on Poplar Street, to the danger of two people who were within the vehicle.

A witness told the trial that he saw a man dressed in black pulling out a gun from his jacket pocket, stepping forward three paces and firing at a stationary blue Vauxhall car resulting in rear window being smashed.

The trial was played recording of a 999 call made by a witness who was heard saying: "There's a guy with a gun in Poplar Street. He's all dressed in black with a scarf over his face."

The court was also shown CCTV footage which showed a Vauxhall car driving along the road before a bang was heard followed by the noise of a car horn beeping loudly.

Armed police later forced entry to McAulay's home and found dark coloured clothing in the washing machine.

McAulay pleaded not guilty to the allegation of being unlawfully at large through lawyer Aidan Gallagher.

Mr Gallagher told the sheriff court that his client's licence had been recalled under the Prisoners & Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Act 1993 and that his current release date from prison is now December 12 2027.

The case is due to call again on August 22, ahead of a trial scheduled for September 11.