Boy, 17, murdered mum with 'Rambo' knife after row over scooter

A teenage boy murdered a woman after an apparent row over a scooter, a court heard.

The then 16-year-old brutally stabbed to death Danielle Davidson, 33, with a Rambo-style knife – before later stating to his aunt and uncle: “I have done the crime, so I will do time”.

The attacker – now 17 and cannot be identified due to age – was back in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow on Monday.

He initially went on trial last Friday.

After footage of the killing was played in court, he pleaded guilty to murdering mum-of-one Miss Davidson in Constitution Street in Leith on May 18, 2023.

Prosecutor John McElroy KC went on to detail the facts behind the horror attack.

The teenager had called Miss Davidson prior to the killing. She then left with a friend to meet the boy.

Mr McElroy: “It is understood there was a recent history of antagonism between the friend and the accused.”

The young killer and an associate arrived at the scene on scooters.

The teenager’s father was also there after getting a call from his son.

The dad initially got into an argument with the man, who was said to be armed.

The killer then took “a large knife” from the waistband of his trousers and brandished it at the man.

Mr McElroy: “During the course of this argument, the man seemed to be attempting to take the accused’s scooter.”

The teenager’s dad tried unsuccessfully to calm matters.

His son then, for some reason, decided to turn the knife on Miss Davidson.

Mr McElroy: “She was heard to shout ‘I have been stabbed’ before collapsing on the tram track.”

The row about the scooter briefly continued before the young assailant fled to a nearby Tesco supermarket.

He went into the closed women’s toilet and changed his clothes. The boy then got a taxi to elsewhere in Edinburgh.

It was there he telephoned his aunt and uncle to come collect him. They then picked him up in the early hours.

The aunt had alerted the police that they were doing this.

The advocate depute: “During this time in their company, the accused made admissions to them such as: ‘I have done the crime, so I will do the time’.

“He told his relatives that people had pulled knives on him, so he had to defend himself.

“He explained to his uncle that the weapon he had was a big ‘Rambo’ knife.

“He said that he just started stabbing and that it was a ‘stab or be stabbed’ situation.”

The court heard how Miss Davidson had been rushed to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

She had five “sharp force injuries” including four stab wounds.

The fatal blow was to the back, which had gone into her chest and punctured a lung.

Miss Davidson tragically did not recover. The court heard she had her own home in the capital, but often lived with her father. She is also survived by one child.

The killer’s lawyer said why the mum was attacked was “utterly inexplicable”.

Iain McSporran, defending, gave a background of the boy being “exploited” from the age of 13 or 14 by others to become involved in “street level” drug dealing.

The KC said there was evidence an associate of the man had wanted “serious violence” inflicted on the teenager for him allegedly stealing a scooter.

The young killer then believed he had been “set up” to be attacked that night.

But, Mr McSporran said there was no evidence to suggest Miss Davidson was involved in this or aware there would be any assault on the boy.

The solicitor advocate went on: “I suppose if violence had occurred between the man and the accused, there would have been some explanation.

“But, he is at a loss to explain rationally why he chose to attack Danielle Davidson.

“Upon repeated viewing (of CCTV of the attack in court), he came to realise there was no justification for what he did.”

Mr McSporran also told the hearing that the murder weapon – which was not found – was a Rambo or Zombie-style knife, which had “no possible domestic use”.

The teenager is currently detained in a secure unit.

Lord Arthurson deferred sentencing until next month in Edinburgh.