Man who murdered 27-year-old in revenge for attack on brother jailed for life

A man who stabbed a 27-year-old to death in an apparent revenge attack in Glasgow has been jailed for at least 16 years.

Kevin Shanley stabbed Brian Gough, 27, to death in the doorway of a shop in Possilpark on May 18, 2024.

The 37-year-old killer targeted Mr Gough after the victim had punched his younger brother, Kyle Shanley, 28, moments earlier.

Judge Douglas Brown told him: “It is a tragedy that Brian Gough’s life was ended at such an early stage.

Murder investigation ongoing after death of Brian Gough at Saracen Street in Glasgow Police Scotland

“His family submitted a detailed victim impact statement in which they describe him as having been the ‘centre of their universe’.

“Losing him in such an unnatural and devastating way, at such a young age, is almost impossible to express in words.

“It has caused a traumatic rippling effect through the whole extended family. It was the equivalent of an ‘atomic bomb’ which has left a chasm of sorrow and grief.”

The trial at the High Court in Glasgow largely focused on CCTV footage of the crime, which was played to jurors.

The brothers were initially captured standing in the area’s Saracen Street.

One of them waved over to Mr Gough’s girlfriend, who crossed the road and hugged each of the siblings.

The victim, who was 6ft 6in and weighed 20 stone, was also with her.

The court heard there was “none of the hallmarks of hostility” between any of them initially.

It was not explained why, but Mr Gough soon went on to punch Kyle Shanley.

This was said to have taken him by “surprise”.

Kyle then contacted his brother while Mr Gough and his girlfriend walked off into the nearby Saracen Store.

In his closing speech to jurors, prosecutor Colin Edward said the siblings went on to leave a close in that street “clearly looking” for Mr Gough.

Kyle was initially described as “swiping” at the victim with a knife after he left the shop.

Mr Gough pushed Kyle away as the man’s girlfriend also tried to step in.

Mr Gough went back into the doorway of the shop, and Kevin Shanley had, by this time, taken the knife from his brother and gone after the victim.

The CCTV then captured the killer “lunging” at him before running off.

Footage from inside the Saracen Store saw Mr Gough initially slumped at the counter before collapsing on the ground, his T-shirt covered in blood.

He never recovered, having been struck in the heart. Mr Gough passed away the next day in hospital.

Kevin was jailed for life at the High Court in Glasgow, having earlier been convicted of murder.

Kyle was acquitted of the murder and instead found guilty of the heavily reduced charge of assaulting Mr Gough by attempting to strike him with a knife.

He was sentenced to three years, backdated to May 2024, when he was first remanded in custody.

After the killing, Brian was described by those who knew him as “popular” and “a nice big guy”.

One message at the scene stated: “A life too short, a grieving too long”.