Teen stabbed dad's friend to death 'over derogatory comment about his intelligence'

A teenager killed his father’s friend after the man allegedly made a derogatory comment about his intelligence.

Lennon Hathway, 18, stabbed Alistair Lamb, 38, with a knife at his parents’ home in Dundee on April 18, 2025.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard on Tuesday how the pair became involved in an altercation with each other shortly after Mr Lamb came to see the accused’s dad.

Prosecutor David McDonald said: “The accused answered the door and let Mr Lamb in.

“The accused stated ‘Awrite Ali Bali.’

“Mr Lamb shouted back at the accused, and the accused’s recollection is that Mr Lamb shouted back at him, ‘f**k off you M****l.”

Mr McDonald told judge Lord Cubie that a physical and verbal altercation then took place between Hathway and Mr Lamb, who was 5ft 3in tall and weighed less than ten stone.

The court heard that Mr Lamb went off to the kitchen and grabbed a knife, whilst Hathway went into his bedroom to get a knife.

Mr McDonald said the two then continued to fight each other.

The advocate depute said: “[Hathway’s father] tried to get Mr Lamb to leave the property, which he declined to do.

“Mr Lamb was in possession of a serrated knife, and the accused, who had retrieved a knife from his bedroom, continued the physical tussle in the hallway, which moved into the living room next to the kitchen door.

“The accused’s mother… follows her son, and she saw Lennon Hathway and Mr Lamb come together at the doorway between the living room and kitchen.

“Mr Lamb was facing her, and Lennon Hathway was in between them with his back to her. [The woman] was shouting on them to stop.

“[She] then saw her son Lennon stabbing in a downward motion with a knife.

“[The witness] describes the direction of the stabbing motion as between the head and shoulder blade of Mr Lamb.

“Shortly afterwards… [Hathway’s mother] is seen in the common close in an upset state and was heard to say ‘Ali and Lennon just stabbed each other. He’s gushing blood.’”

The court heard that paramedics arrived soon after the incident and tried to save Mr Lamb’s life. However, he later died in Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, on the same evening.

Hathway, originally of Dundee, pleaded guilty to the culpable homicide of Mr Lamb on Tuesday.

He was due to stand trial on a charge of murder on Tuesday afternoon, but prosecutors accepted a guilty plea to a lesser charge of culpable homicide just before jurors were due to be selected for proceedings.

Mr McDonald told the court that Hathway suffers from epilepsy, which arose from a head injury he suffered from being attacked in the street in 2024.

Mr McDonald added: “According to the accused’s family, the injury sustained has also caused issues with paranoia and impulse control.”

The court heard that Mr Lamb – who was known to his friends as Ali – arrived at the house at 5.09pm.

After the alleged slur about Mr Hathway’s intelligence was made, Mr McDonald said the pair got involved in a verbal and physical altercation.

The court heard that Hathway put Mr Lamb in a headlock, and Mr Lamb managed to free himself. He then told Hathway: “I’ll f*****g kill you. I’ll f*****g kill you. I’m gonnae stab f**k out of you you wee fat b*****d.”

The pair then confronted each other with the knives, and Hathway stabbed Mr Lamb.

Paramedics arrived at the property at 5.34pm after Hathway’s dad phoned the emergency services.

Mr McDonald added: “The paramedics moved Mr Lamb into the middle of the floor and turned him on his left side, where they observed a puncture wound to the upper left of his back, which was bleeding profusely.

“Blood was pooling underneath Mr Lamb and they noted he was lying on a bloodstained towel.”

The court heard that the police were called to the property and arrived there at 5.37pm. They found Hathway in his bedroom and he was only wearing boxer shorts.

The prosecutor added: “The accused informed police that Mr Lamb was his dad’s pal and named him.”

Mr McDonald told the court that Hathway was seen with two small puncture wounds to his upper chest and had blood on his body. He was arrested later that night and made no reply to caution.

A post mortem was carried out on Mr Lamb and the cause of death was established to be a stab wound to the torso.

The court heard that Hathway was a first offender.

Defence advocate Mark Stewart KC told Lord Cubie that he’d reserve his mitigation until a hearing which will be held later in the year.

Lord Cubie deferred sentence for the court to obtain a background report.

Hathway will be sentenced at the High Court in Dundee on October 12, 2026.