Dad-of-two convicted of murdering his best friend in Greenock

A dad-of-two has been convicted of murdering his best friend by hitting him over the head with a dumbbell.

The attack by 30-year- old Kyle McAuley on dad-of-three Kevin McCluskey took place in the early hours of March 24 at a flat in Nelson Street, Greenock.

28-year old Kevin was smashed on the back of the head by McAuley and after he fell onto a bed, he was hit again and again by the weapon.

As Kevin lay on the bed, McAuley took a photograph of him and sent it to his then girlfriend.

Fifty minutes later after moving Kevin's body onto the floor of the bedroom McAuley took another photo and sent it to his former partner.

This photograph showed Kevin's face covered in blood and with horrific injuries.

At around 5.40am, McAuley made a 999 call claiming he came home from work to find a stranger lying dead or dying at the front door of his flat.

During the call to the emergency services McAuley could be heard laughing.

When police arrived at McAuley's flat in Nelson Street Kevin's body had again been moved.

He was lying with his upper body in the hallway of the flat at the front door and his feet in the landing.

He initially claimed he didn't know Kevin, but later told police that he was acting in self defence as his friend came at him with a knife.

He told the jury: "He said he was going to kill me. He was going nuts. He was right in my face, pushing his head against my face. I was scared."

However McAuley admitted while giving evidence that he had already punched Kevin on the head and smashed him once over the head with the dumbbell before he claimed he saw a knife in his friend's hand.

Kevin suffered a fractured skull, smashed cheekbones, jaw and nose and bruising to the brain.

Former soldier McAuley, who served in Afghanistan in the Scots Guards, had no injuries.

Hours earlier CCTV footage showed the two friends playing fighting and laughing and joking in a Greenock pub during a night out.

No explanation was given by McAuley for why he launched a frenzied attack on his friend in the early hours of the next morning.

He claimed his friend was the aggressor and he was fighting for his life, but the jury did not believe him.

McAuley was convicted of murdering Kevin, then taking photographs of his body and sending them to his the girlfriend and his ex-partner and attempting to pervert the course of justice by moving Kevin's body and placing a knife near it.

Members of Kevin's family and friends clapped as the murder verdict was delivered.

Judge Lord Mulholland told McAuley: "You have been convicted of a brutal murder involving repeatedly striking a man with a dumbbell. You then sent photos of the body of the man – dead or dying – to your girlfriend and ex-girlfriend and then moved the body and a knife."

The judge added: "The punishment part and a life sentence will be imposed at the High Court in Edinburgh on January 28."

McAuley showed no emotion ads he was led away to the cells.

Hear the latest news on Clyde 1 on FM, DAB, smart speaker or the Rayo app.