Man stabbed victim to death weeks after prison release

A man has been found guilty of murdering a man in a street stabbing in North Lanarkshire, just weeks after he was freed from jail.

Gerard McGinlay, 39, killed Peter McElroy during an attack in Airdrie on 12 April 2020, at the start of the first Covid lockdown

A passing taxi driver tried help Mr McElroy, 45, but was unable to save him

McGinlay denied the murder charge but was convicted at the High Court in Glasgow.

He will return to the dock in September to be sentenced.

Jurors heard that McGinlay had a history of violence including previous assaults and possession of an offensive weapon.

He had been freed from his last prison term on 20 March, about three weeks before Mr McElroy's death.

Taxi driver Joseph Dalziel told the court he had been walking home from a shift around 04:00 when he could hear shouting near Bell Street in Airdrie.

He saw five men including McGinlay and Mr McElroy, who was trying to "walk away".

Mr Dalziel said he remembered McGinlay throwing punches at the victim, but then realised he had a knife.

The court heard the men then "casually" walked off leaving Mr McElroy after he had been stabbed.

The taxi driver said he shouted for help and waited with the victim until the emergency services arrived but Mr McElroy died at the scene.