Killers jailed after man died saving his daughter

Two killers have been jailed for murdering a man who stepped in to save his daughter.

Paul McCann, 38, and Mark Moncrieff, 33, attacked Brian Boyle outside his flat in Glasgow's Dennistoun.

Mr Boyle, who was 56, had gone out with his daughter Kayleigh after hearing her car being vandalised.

After getting between the killers and Kayleigh, who is 23, Mr Boyle was repeatedly struck with a knife and a hammer.

Speaking about the attack in July last year, Kayleigh said: "He saved my life. If he had not jumped in front of me, it would have been me who would have been stabbed."

McCann and Moncrieff were convicted of murder following a three-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

After they were found guilty, it emerged both had a string of previous convictions.

McCann had 36 convictions and had previously been sentenced to five and a half years in jail for assault and robbery.

At the time of the murder, he was awaiting sentencing for an offence of threatening and abusive behaviour.

Moncrieff's record included 12 convictions, including an attempted murder in 2004.

Jailing both for life, judge Lord Boyd said: "Why Brian Boyle died is beyond me. Perhaps the only explanation was that you were openly engaging in the mindless violence you are used to."

He paid tribute to Kayleigh, saying she showed "considerable courage" facing the killers from the witness box.

The judge added: "She had to deal with the horror of seeing her father die in her arms before her."

Moncrieff - who delivered the fatal blow - will serve a minimum sentence of 20 years.

McCann will serve at least 18 years.

A third person, 22-year-old Domenica Smith, had also faced the murder charge but jurors returned a not proven verdict.

She will be sentenced at a later date after being found guilty of two charges of threatening and abusive behaviour, and of assault.

Moncrieff gave evidence during the trial - and claimed he had not meant to kill Mr Boyle.

He said: "I did not want the guy to die. I do not want to be standing here."

Giving evidence, Kayleigh Boyle had described the moments after her father was attacked.

"He tried to grab onto a fence, but he did not have the energy," she said. "He just collapsed.

"I tried to stop the bleeding and tried to save him. No-one was able to save him."

She said he had "come to defend his daughter like any father would".

Ms Boyle added: "He was an excellent dad and would do anything to defend me."