Pair admit man's doorstep killing

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Two men have admitted killing a 22-year-old car mechanic on his doorstep in Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire.

James Simpson was stabbed four times during a row outside his flat in April.

David McLintock, 23, who knifed Mr Simpson, and Andrew Mooney, 18, who carried the knife and disposed of it, both admitted culpable homicide.

Co-accused Stuart Rodger, 19, admitted committing a breach of the peace and James McCafferty, 18, pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Simpson.

Originally all four were accused of murder, but the Crown accepted their pleas to reduced charges.

Prosecutor Ashley Edwards told the court that minutes before he was fatally stabbed Mr Simpson had stabbed a man and a woman in an altercation at a nearby bus stop.

This incensed the accused who decided he should be sorted out.

Ms Edwards said: "Mooney had received a call saying that Mr Simpson had stabbed a woman in the neck and he said he was going to get tooled up."

My client's position is that Mr Simpson emerged with a metal bar and struck him with it Mark Stewart QC Defending The court heard that all four accused went to Mr Simpson's home and began banging on the door demanding he come out.

The accused claim that Mr Simpson came out of his house armed with a metal bar.

Mark Stewart QC, defending McLintock, said: "My client's position is that Mr Simpson emerged with a metal bar and struck him with it."

The court heard that the fatal wound cut through a major artery and Mr Simpson was pronounced dead on his doorstep.

Judge Lord Brailsford deferred sentence on all four accused for background reports