Murderer collapses after verdict

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A father-of-two who planned the killing of his love rival collapsed in the dock after being convicted of murder.

A jury found Gary Wilson, 39, guilty of the murder of taxi driver Mark Fitzsimmons, 25, in Greenock on 5 February last year.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that after hailing Mr Fitzsimmons' taxi, Wilson stabbed him a total of seven times in the back, neck and chest.

Sentence was adjourned until March for background reports to be prepared.

The jury heard how Wilson was enraged when his partner Iolanda Tallachia, the mother of his two children, left him and began seeing Mr Fitzsimmons.

A week before the murder Wilson threatened to stab Mr Fitzsimmons. Mark was scared in case Gary petrol bombed his house Iolanda TallachiaVictim's girlfriend

On the night of the killing Wilson, from Skelmorlie, Ayrshire, armed himself with a knife and a plastic bottle filled with petrol and went looking for the victim.

He hailed his taxi, then stabbed him in the back through the driver's seat.

Mr Fitzsimmons tried to flee by jumping out of the still moving taxi.

But he was pursued along Holefarm Road, Greenock, before being stabbed a further four times in the neck and two in the chest.

The court heard he died from massive blood loss.

The Crown believes Wilson intended to use the petrol to destroy any evidence by torching the taxi, but his plan failed when Mr Fitzsimmons managed to get out of the cab.

Wilson's DNA was found on the plastic bag containing the petrol and on banknotes found in the taxi.Wilson collapsed in the dock after the jury returned the guilty verdict

He was also captured on CCTV in Greenock before and after the murder and was seen to be wearing different clothes afterwards.

During his trial, Wilson denied murdering Mr Fitzsimmons by pursuing him and repeatedly striking him on the head and body with a knife at Woodstock Road and Holefarm Road, both Greenock.

He claimed he was in another part of the town at the time.

Ann Fitzsimmons, 54, told the court her son Mark had been in another relationship but had started seeing Iolanda Tallachia.

In evidence Ms Tallachia said that she and Mr Fitzsimmons had just started going out together.

When asked if the split from her partner of 14 years was amicable she said: "It was at first."

She said Wilson begged her to return to him but added: "I had been unhappy for a long time and I wasn't prepared to change my mind. He started getting angry and bitter."

Heart trouble

Ms Tallachia said she met Mr Fitzsimmons at the cash and carry where they both worked.

She said: "Gary wouldn't leave me alone and Mark's girlfriend wouldn't leave him alone.

"Gary was telling Mark to back off. He said if Mark wasn't on the scene he and I would be back together.

"Mark told me Gary had threatened him and told him to stay away from me because he knew people.

"Mark was scared in case Gary petrol bombed his house."

Seconds after the jury returned the guilty verdict, Wilson, who has a history of heart trouble, fainted and had to be carried down to the cell area by two Reliance officers.

Temporary judge Michael O'Grady QC later told the jury: "We have all seen the accused collapsing. We are arranging for him to be seen by a doctor.

"Even had this not happened I would not have been able to sentence him today. Sentence will be adjourned until March.

"In reality there is only one sentence I can impose but I need to obtain background reports."