Man murdered father-of-three by stabbing him in neck in Edinburgh

A man who murdered a father-of-three by stabbing him in the neck on an Edinburgh street has been jailed for life.

Ryan McCabe, 49, was ordered to serve a minimum of 17 years in prison after killing Liam Maloney, 30, in the fatal assault in the Niddrie area of Edinburgh.

At the High Court in Edinburgh, Judge Lord Scott said he had received victim impact statements from Mr Maloney’s mother, father and sister of the deceased.

He said the crime had led to the “devastating loss of a much loved father, son, brother, grandson, nephew and friend to many”.

The judge said: “The victim impact statements have particularly assisted me in understanding the loss to the family including, perhaps most significantly, his three young sons.”

Lord Scott said that during McCable’s earlier trial he appeared to have tried to discredit his victim’s character in a bid to excuse his own behaviour.

He told McCabe that the 17-year term imposed on him was the minimum period he must serve before he can be considered for release, but any future decision over his release would be taken by parole authorities who take into account the risk he posed at the time.

The court heard that McCabe was previously convicted of a serious attack with a weapon in 2020.

McCabe had denied murdering Mr Maloney during the attack on him on May 5 last year at the junction of Niddrie Marischal Grove and Niddrie Marischal Road, but was found guilty by a jury.

Mr Maloney later died at St John’s Hospital in Livingston.

The court heard there had been an altercation between the men before Mr Maloney swung an axe at McCabe.

Mr Maloney was then fatally stabbed.

McCabe claimed it was “a massive regret” that he had gone out armed with the knife.

He maintained that he took the weapon to act as “a deterrent” and that he had no intention to use it.