logo
Pair jailed after man was stabbed to death in Paisley flat

Pair jailed after man was stabbed to death in Paisley flat

Glasgow Times5 days ago

Cameron Woods, 27, and Stacey Balfour, 24, were today sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow following the death of Robert Fisher.
The 26 year-old was fatally attacked at flats in Paisley, Renfrewshire in July 2023.
Prosecutors stated it was Woods who knifed Mr Fisher with his then partner Balfour "acting in concert" knowing there would be violence.
The pair had been found guilty of murder following a trial last month.
They were each handed a life sentence - Woods was jailed for a minimum 18 and a half years with Balfour locked up for 16 years.
The killing occurred after all three had been with others at a flat at the tower block.
A witness said Woods had been seen at one stage with a large kitchen knife.
Balfour meantime had shown someone the small lockback blade later used in the killing. It had been attached to a set of keys.
The court heard the atmosphere later became "volatile" between those at the flat including Mr Fisher.
In her speech to jurors, prosecutor Erin Campbell said it was clear "the situation escalated".
She said this eventually led to Mr Fisher being stabbed "in what amounted to a murderous attack".
The victim managed to stagger out of the flat with blood on his face and down his T-shirt.
A man dialled 999 as Mr Fisher groaned in the background: "I have been stabbed."
He was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.
But, he never recovered and passed away there four days later.
The court Mr Fisher had suffered five separate stab wounds as well as possible defensive injuries.
Miss Campbell put to jurors: "If you are trying to strike someone in the head or chest then there are only two possibilities.
"Either you are deliberately trying to kill the person.
"Or you are so angry and wild in the moment, you have total disregard if the person lives or dies."
READ NEXT: Former Catholic priest admits repeated abuse of boy more than 40 years ago
READ NEXT: Man admits murdering 21-year-old partner Phoenix Spencer Horn in East Kilbride
The advocate depute stated Mr Fisher had been subjected to a "frenzied attack".
Woods was later stopped by police at a cycle track. He was found with the murder weapon which had Mr Fisher's blood on it.
Balfour had initially told officers that the last time she had seen Mr Fisher was when he left the flat with another man.
Donald Findlay, defending Woods, today said the thug had not co-operated with compiling a pre-sentencing social work report.
The KC added: 'On the day of this matter no one set out looking for trouble. Something clearly happened which led to a conflict. There was a reaction to something.'
Balfour's KC Thomas Ross said she had previously suffered a 'traumatic' incident in 2014 and a had been in a 'toxic relationship' before the killing.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Sex attacker faces life sentence after raping woman he met on Tinder
Sex attacker faces life sentence after raping woman he met on Tinder

The Herald Scotland

time33 minutes ago

  • The Herald Scotland

Sex attacker faces life sentence after raping woman he met on Tinder

The 34-year-old ex-clothes shop supervisor denied being physically or sexually violent - even claiming in a bizarre video clip that the woman had instead hurt him. Hood was found guilty of rape and engaging in a course of abusive behaviour following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow. He is already serving a seven-and-a-half-year jail-term imposed in 2022 for preying on four other women. Hood was due to be sentenced for this latest crime as he returned to the dock this week. But, judge Lord Colbeck continued the case again for a full risk assessment to be carried out on the sex attacker. This could eventually lead to an Order for the Lifelong Restriction being imposed on him. Hood is scheduled to be back in court in September. Read More Hood, formerly of the city's Knightswood, told jurors how he was initially in contact with the woman via Tinder. He stated he had never used the dating app before as "you hear all these horror stories". It was not until early 2020 that the pair physically met. He had been aware at the time of allegations made by one of the victims in the later 2022 trial. Hood claimed he told the woman in this latest case about the then accusations. He said there was "not much reaction" from her. Hood went on to move in with the woman and her mother at their home in the west of the city during one of the covid lockdowns in 2020. He said: "It was a bit intense, but we managed it well." Hood insisted there was "seldom" any sexual contact between him and the victim while there. The woman, however, told how he stood on her face and then forced himself upon her during one attack. Denying it happened, Hood claimed: "We would not really do much in her mum's house as it was just awkward." The abuse also took place at other flats in the north of Glasgow. His lawyer Frances Connor put to him at one stage: "Any truth that you wanted cocaine so you could have sex for hours and hours?" He refuted this insisting the drug would have had the "opposite effect" on him. Miss Connor also asked if anything had occurred without the woman's consent. Hood again denied this. The lawyer went on: "Anything ever happened when she was asleep?" He then claimed: "No, I would never have woken her up as she was a grouch if you did." Hood added any evidence of him "choking" the woman only happened during consensual sex. The attacker was also physically abusive which had included a claim he had hurled Chinese spring rolls at her. He instead alleged the woman had previously "erupted" at him after confronting him about cheating on her. Jurors were shown a mobile phone clip recorded by the woman where a drunk and topless Hood claimed he could not walk as she had "broke" his toe by allegedly throwing a towel at him. In the previous trial, Hood had been convicted of 10 charges of similar abuse against four women between 2010 and 2020. His lawyer said at the time how his life had been "somewhat blighted by a gambling addiction" which had affected his relationships. He first faced allegations involving the latest victim in 2023 while serving the seven-and-a-half-year sentence.

Identity of teen thug who murdered mum on tram tracks revealed as knifeman turns 18
Identity of teen thug who murdered mum on tram tracks revealed as knifeman turns 18

Scottish Sun

time16 hours ago

  • Scottish Sun

Identity of teen thug who murdered mum on tram tracks revealed as knifeman turns 18

One relative described the victim as "my beautiful Danielle" KILLER UNMASKED Identity of teen thug who murdered mum on tram tracks revealed as knifeman turns 18 Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A TEENAGE murderer who knifed a mum to death after a row over an e-scooter can today be unmasked by The Scottish Sun on Sunday. Ryan Heath was just 16 when he repeatedly plunged a Rambo-style blade into Danielle Davidson, 33. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Danielle Davidson, 33, from Edinburgh, was murdered by teen thug Ryan Heath 3 Danielle Davidson was killed on tram tracks in Edinburgh The maniac — who was a knife offender from the age of 11 — could not be named when he was caged for 18 years last December, because he was still 17 at the time. But the monster's face can finally be shown two years after the horror attack on tram lines in Edinburgh's Leith. And we can also reveal that Heath's deceased mother was a friend of mum-of-one Danielle. Just eight days before the senseless slaying, Heath had been put on a supervision order by the Children's Reporter for repeated thuggish behaviour. The balaclava-clad fiend argued with Danielle's pal Conlan Carr over the scooter before turning and knifing her. He stabbed her four times, inflicting blows to her head and body in the broad daylight horror in May 2023. The fatal wound went through Danielle's back, piercing her lung. She was rushed to hospital but could not be saved. Heath initially claimed self defence but pleaded guilty to murder after harrowing CCTV of the killing was played to the High Court in Edinburgh. Prosecutor John McElroy KC said at last November's hearing: 'She shouted, 'I have been stabbed,' before collapsing on the tram track.' The footage also showed Heath entering a women's toilet in Tesco to change his clothes after the attack. Heartbreaking Old Firm march Grieving parents call for knife crime action in Scotland He later told his aunt and uncle: 'I have done the crime, so I will do the time.' It emerged in court that he was charged with knife possession at 11 and had also been involved in drug dealing from the age of 13 as a 'victim of modern slavery'. Last night Tory shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr said: "The killer already had a lengthy rap sheet for drugs and thuggery. "He wore a balaclava, carried a cruel blade and stabbed his victim several times. "The public needed protection from Heath, unmasked. "People will rightly question whether the reasons that teenagers are granted anonymity in court apply in this harrowing case." Heath's lawyer Iain McSporran KC told the court: 'She was an entirely innocent victim in this dreadful crime.' Jailing him at the High Court in Glasgow last December, Judge Lord Arthurson said: 'This was an appalling and cowardly attack on a vulnerable and defenceless young mother. 'She was in the wrong place at the wrong time while you were intoxicated by drugs and armed with a large, lethal bladed weapon.' We told in March how the 18-year sentence imposed by Lord Arthurson was reduced to 14 years on appeal. Lawyers for Heath successfully argued that the punishment breached guidelines to encourage more lenient sentences for the under-25s. Judges at the Court of Criminal Appeal agreed — despite calling the offence 'shocking'. Lord Matthews ruled: 'The sentence was more akin to that which might have been imposed on an adult offender.' After her death, Danielle's cousin John Davidson posted on social media: ' My beautiful Danielle. I am broken.'

Driver killed road worker dad at Dumbarton crash scene
Driver killed road worker dad at Dumbarton crash scene

Glasgow Times

timea day ago

  • Glasgow Times

Driver killed road worker dad at Dumbarton crash scene

Mr Farr ended up trapped under the 46-year-old joiner's car. The 59-year-old dad-of-two sadly never survived. Mr Farr's four workmates from the road maintenance firm were also badly hurt. First offender Kas yesterday appeared in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow. He pleaded guilty to a charge of causing death by careless driving. READ MORE: Cash machine near Glasgow robbed in early morning heist as thieves steal money Kas, of Johnstone, Renfrewshire, had his bail continued, and he is due to be sentenced next month. The tragic incident occurred on May 9, 2022. Earlier that day, a Mercedes driver had lost control of his car at the same roundabout and hit a light column, which fell on impact. Prosecutor Erin Campbell told the court: "It is this earlier collision which lead to Neil Farr and his colleagues attending on behalf of Amey. 'The purpose was to make safe the falling light.' Mr Farr and his colleague, Andrew Taylor, arrived first. Colleagues Paul Jordan, Keith McFadzean and Jamie Hernon then turned up. Kas meantime had been travelling from Glasgow with his partner on way to check out a joinery job. One motorist was aware of Kas going past him on the A82. READ MORE: Fans spot Lewis Capaldi's special Celtic nod during Glastonbury comeback gig Miss Campbell then explained: 'He negotiated the roundabout too fast for the weather conditions. 'As he exited, he accelerated and lost control of the vehicle, which began to wobble. 'Kas could not regain control - this resulted in the car sliding, mounting the grass verge at speed and colliding with Mr Farr and his colleagues, who were standing close to one another working on the light column.' Some of the men were flung onto other parts of the verge. Mr Farr was trapped under the BMW. Passers-by – including a nurse – stopped to help before mercy crews arrived. Mr Farr went into cardiac arrest and was described as being in a 'critical condition'. He was freed from beneath the car, but passed away due to head and chest injuries. The much-loved dad is survived by his partner of more than 20 years and his two sons. Miss Campbell also detailed how the other men were affected by the incident. Mr Jordan was unable to walk for up to five months following surgery on leg fractures. Mr Hernon was off work for 10 weeks and Mr McFadzean seven recovering from their injuries. Mr Taylor suffered muscle and ligament damage. READ MORE: 9 high rise demolitions that reshaped Glasgow's skyline as Caledonia Road next The advocate depute added all had been left with 'significant psychological distress' from what happened. Crash investigators meantime found the tread of a tyre on Kas's car was below the legal limit and could have contributed to the collision. Allan MacLeod, defending, said Kas was 'extremely sorry' and that he had also tried 'as best he could' that night to help the men he had hit. Lord Armstrong adjourned for reports until August 5 in Edinburgh. The judge told Kas: 'You now stand convicted of this grave charge in what is a tragic case.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store