Life sentence for killer who struck weeks after jail release

A recently released prisoner who stabbed a man in the heart as he walked along a street has been jailed for life.

Gerard McGinlay, 39, fatally wounded Peter McElroy in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, on April 12 last year.

A passing taxi driver rushed to help Mr McElroy, 45, but he died at the scene.

McGinlay, who was convicted in July following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow, has now been ordered to serve a minimum of 17 years.

Judge Lord Matthews told McGinlay that he had committed a "senseless murder".

He added: "The evidence showed that he was involved in an argument with your former co-accused but, for reasons best known to yourself, you armed yourself with a knife, left the flat you were in, and, for no reason, stabbed him to the heart, causing his death.

"No sentence I can pass can make up for the loss sustained by Mr McElroy's family and friends and it will be a long time before they will be able to come to terms with what happened, if ever."

Prosecutor Greg Farrell previously told jurors the killer had a history of violence including assaults and possession of an offensive weapon.

McGinlay had been freed from his last prison term on 20 March, about three weeks before the murder.

Taxi driver Joseph Dalziel told the trial he had been walking home from a shift at around 16:00 when he heard shouting near Bell Street, Airdrie.

He then spotted five men including McGinlay and Mr McElroy.

The witness said the victim was trying to "walk away".

Mr Dalziel recalled the accused throwing what he thought were punches at Mr McElroy but he then spotted a knife.

Afterwards the killer "casually" strolled off leaving Mr McElroy bleeding on the pavement.

Mr Dalziel went to his aid and told the trial: "I was saying to him: 'Be still, you are going to be alright'.

"However, he had a worried look in his eye. He never said or whispered anything."

The taxi driver stayed with Mr McElroy until paramedics arrived but he could not be saved.