Murder victim begged mum for help after being stabbed by her partner

A serial knife attacker who murdered his partner’s son is facing life in jail.

James Thomson fatally struck Callum Pollock in the neck – then lied that the 22-year-old had fallen onto a blade during a struggle with him.

Thomson, 35, was said to be annoyed after an earlier chat with the victim about his relationship with Mr Pollock’s mother.

The killer fled before being caught on camera smiling and “strolling without a care in the world” at a local train station.

Thomson had denied murdering Mr Pollock at the flat in Troon, Ayrshire, on July 6 last year but was found guilty at the High Court in Glasgow and will learn the minimum he will spend behind bars next month.

It emerged after the verdict that he already had a number of convictions involving the use of knives.

Thomson had been at the flat with Mr Pollock and his mother that day – this included the England v Switzerland Euro 2024 football match being on the TV.

A neighbour also later joined them.

The two men had made a couple of trips to a local shop.

After the final trip, Mr Pollock’s mother told jurors the atmosphere was “not good”.

Thomson and Mr Pollock had “a wee wrestle” with the latter having the killer briefly in a “bearhug”. Mr Pollock had also said he did not want “a fight”.

Thomson stormed off to the kitchen – his temper was described as going from “zero to ten”.

The woman and her neighbour tried to stop him coming back into the living room, but he “barged in like a raging bull – red in the face”.

It was initially thought that he then started punching Mr Pollock before it became apparent that he had stabbed him.

Thomson was then seen with a black-handled kitchen knife.

A badly injured Mr Pollock begged: “Please help me, mum,” while Thomson went upstairs, got changed, then fled the flat.

The neighbour’s partner – who had first aid training – initially came in to try and help Mr Pollock as a 999 call was made, but he never recovered.

Thomson gave evidence during the trial.

He recalled a discussion with Mr Pollock about his mum, but that he had “shot him down” when trying to talk about her.

Thomson claimed they ended up “fighting” back in the flat.

The killer said he only grabbed a knife because he was “scared” and that he believed – wrongly – that Mr Pollock was armed.

Thomson went on to insist they both fell in the living room, and that was when he noticed blood.

He denied deliberately attacking Callum. Thomson accepted lying to the police about what happened as he was “in shock…having just been told Callum had passed away”.

Ms Cockburn also played footage of Thomson at Troon train station shortly after the attack.

This was at a time the killer claimed he was “traumatised”.

Describing what was shown, Ms Cockburn said: “You are strolling along that platform without a care in the world.

“You appear to smile to a man sitting on a bench. He appears to smile back.

“You are not traumatised. A police officer described you as relaxed less than an hour after stabbing Callum Pollock in the neck.”

Thomson again refuted the suggestion.

Lord Scott adjourned sentencing until November 28 in Edinburgh. Thomson remains in custody meantime.