Life for high-rise flats murder

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7667779.stm

Version 0 of 1.

A bare-knuckle fighter who grunted with pleasure as he plunged a knife into the chest of a man screaming for mercy has been jailed for life.

Craig Bathgate, 44, had earlier pleaded not guilty.

Michael Gardner, 33, was stabbed on the 11th floor of Medwin House North in Edinburgh's Sighthill, but he died before he reached the bottom.

Bathgate was sentenced to 15 years before he can apply for parole at the High court in Edinburgh.

Colin MacAulay QC told Bathgate: "You were found guilty of having carried out a savage and brutal murder."

The judge continued: "You carried out a vicious and sustained attack on a stranger during which you ignored his pleas for mercy."

There was a fountain of blood coming out of his chest Philip QuinnEyewitness

The trial heard how last 4 December, Bathgate visited his friends Simon Wallace, 34, and Mr Wallace's girlfriend, Tina Allwood, 19.

They were described as drug abusers who also lived on the proceeds of petty drug dealing.

Handyman Mr Gardner of Clovenstone Drive, Edinburgh, was their "wholesaler" the court heard and they owed him money.

Mr Gardner turned up at the Medwin House North flat demanding to see Mr Wallace, refusing to believe claims that he was not at home.

He dialled Mr Wallace's mobile phone and heard it ringing.

Mr Gardner pushed his way into the flat and spoke to Mr Wallace. As he was leaving, Bathgate followed him onto the landing.

Tina Allwood told the trial she heard Gardner saying "Get your hands off me" then "Please don't. Please mate, please don't."

She said she also heard Bathgate "grunting."

Asked to describe the noise she said: "I cannot. It sounded like a grunting of enjoyment."

Car chase

Bathgate returned to the kitchen of the flat for his can of lager with the veins standing out on his neck and his face red, she added. She also noticed a spray of blood on the sleeve of his hooded top.

Unemployed stone mason Philip Quinn, 38, told how he heard a noise in the common stair and a man ran past with no top on. "There was a fountain of blood coming out of his chest," he said.

The man was calling out "Phone the police, phone the police."

Mr Quinn said he thought he should try to give the running man first aid. But when he tried to catch him he slipped on the blood and knocked himself out.

Bathgate was caught three days later after a car chase, insisting that he had only made a dash for it because there were other warrants out for his arrest.

On Monday defence QC Mark Stewart said Bathgate was full of remorse for what had happened.