Teen killer spared detention for remorse over man's death

A teenage killer who took part in the pursuit of a wounded man who was brutally murdered in a street attack was spared detention.

Instead, a judge ordered that the 15-year-old’s case should be sent to Children’s Hearings Scotland for him to be supervised.

Lady Scott told the teen at the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday that he was at “a turning point” and urged him to take his chance.

She said that what he had done was “very serious” but she was satisfied that he had shown real remorse.

The teenager, who was 14 when he took part in the fatal attack, had earlier admitted culpable homicide.

Two co-accused, brothers David Brookhouse or Sharp, 38, and John Brookhouse, 35, were jailed for life after they murdered Daniel McGuigan.

David Brookhouse was ordered to serve at least 15 years in prison for murder and his younger sibling was told he must spend 13 years in jail before he is eligible to seek parole.

Lady Scott said the teenager, who cannot be identified for legal reasons because of his age, was acting under “the very significant influence of these adults”.

The judge said she had to take account the need for the teenager’s rehabilitation and future reintegration into society.

Defence counsel John Scullion QC said reports suggested the teenager was an immature and somewhat vulnerable young man who would benefit from supervision.

Mr Scullion told Lady Scott: “Given the very serious nature of the offence I acknowledge that a period of detention may well be at the forefront of Your Ladyship’s mind.”

But the defence counsel said his primary submission was for the case to be remitted to the children’s hearing to allow them to supervise his development towards adulthood.

He said: “I think it is fair to say he now bitterly regrets his involvement and expresses remorse, which appears to be genuine, both for his actions and for the tragic consequences.”

The Brookhouse brothers murdered Mr McGuigan on May 24 last year in an attack at Stravanan Street, in the Castlemilk area of Glasgow.

Mr McGuigan, 35, was working in the area with colleagues carrying out garden maintenance when the brothers ran towards him. John Brookhouse struck him with an axe and his brother stabbed him with a knife.

The victim tried to defend himself by throwing a leaf blower at John Brookhouse and attempted to flee, but the brothers chased him.

The teenager, who had followed the brothers, also chased him and hit him on the head with a piece of wood.

Mr McGuigan was found to have suffered a stab wound which sliced a rib and went into a lung, tracking upwards into the heart and piercing the main artery, the aorta.

The court heard that there was a background of bad feeling between the Brookhouses and the victim.