Man jailed for beating vulnerable Falkirk pensioner to death

A man who beat a "frail and vulnerable" pensioner to death after befriending him has been jailed for 10 years.

William Collins left William McCallum with 66 injuries, including a brain haemorrhage and broken ribs.

The 40-year-old from Falkirk had befriended Mr McCallum, 66, during the first Covid lockdown, at a pharmacy where Collins collected medication for heroin addiction.

He admitted killing Mr McCallum at his flat in June 2020.

Collins was originally charged with murder but prosecutors accepted his plea to the lesser charge of culpable homicide.

The High Court in Livingston heard that he had become a regular visitor to Mr McCallum's flat.

Ian Duguid, QC, defending, said both the accused and his victim had taken street valium on the day of the killing, resulting in Collins having "very little knowledge or recollection" of events.

He said: "There's no way he anticipated that Mr McCallum was going to lose his life but clearly a disagreement had arisen between the two of them.

The court heard earlier that Mr McCallum - a father of six who was diabetic and suffered from COPD - was "scared" of Collins, who would "snap, shout and bawl" at him.

Prosecutor John Keenan said Mr McCallum's carer, who witnessed Collins pulling him off the bed and trying to drag him out of the room, had left "hurriedly" and reported what had happened to her office.

Over a number of hours neighbours then heard sounds of arguing, Collins demanding money, and "loud banging and dull thuds" from the flat.

They heard Mr McCallum saying: "Look what you've done to me. What are you trying to do to me?" and saw Collins leaving with blood on his jogging bottoms.

The court was told Collins returned about 21:30 and broke a window of Mr McCallum's flat to get back in, at which point the police were called.

Collins led officers to the body of Mr McCallum, who was in bed in the foetal position, unresponsive, and not breathing.

Judge Lord Weir told Collins: "It's clear you must have visited considerable violence against him, whatever your memory may now be."

The judge said an "eloquent" victim impact statement submitted by the victim's daughters spoke of the pain the family continued to suffer.

Collins will be placed on supervision for three years following his release from jail.