Man jailed for 19 years for brutal murder of teenager in Helensburgh

A man brutally murdered a teenage boy - then sent a video to friends boasting of what he had done. Kevin Murray turned on Kirk Allan, 19, at his flat in Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute in the early hours of July 25 2020.

The 34 year-old struck Kirk with a meat cleaver, choked him, bound and blind-folded the victim as well as zapping him in the face with pepper spray.

Murray then recorded a chilling 45-second selfie-clip before forwarding it to shocked friends via Snapchat.

One man - who became emotional after re-watching the footage at the High Court in Glasgow - immediately contacted police.

Murray was found wandering the streets near his home. The burly thug claimed he and Kirk had been "play" mixed martial arts-fighting.

But, he is now behind bars after being convicted of the teenager's murder today.

Murray was ordered to serve a minimum 19 years in jail by judge Lady Stacey.

The trial heard how the pair along with another man had been playing computer games at Murray's flat.

Kirk later turned up at the door of his friend Emma Willis with Murray hours before the killing.

The 20 year-old had never spoken to Murray before and found it odd he was wearing a balaclava on a summer's night.

After taking it off, she told prosecutor Lorraine Glancy that Murray had an "evil" look.

Emma then recalled: "I just got a really bad feeling. I just did not think he (Kirk) should be with him.

"It was the whole dynamic. It was just very strange."

Unaware of the horror which was to unfold, the waitress told Murray that Kirk was her "best friend" adding: "Please look after him."

The teenager ended up back at Murray's home. It was there he was later subjected to a gruesome attack then left lifeless on the thug's floor.

At 5.10am, Murray sent the Snapchat video to a string of contacts.

Jamie Bailey - who had gone to school with Murray - opened the message.

The 27 year-old firefighter looked on the verge of tears as he viewed the clip again from the witness box.

He recalled: "I just remember seeing someone lying on the floor. He did not look conscious.

"I sat on the couch and the severity of what happened set in. I dialled 999."

Jamie Hamilton, 31, also got the clip and was left "shocked" and "upset".

Another man was a friend of Kirk's brother Chris, who had been concerned about his sibling that night.

Police found a "calm and compliant" Murray strolling in the street around 6.30am.

He handed over his phone which still had the video stored on it.

PC Ross Easton told the trial: "We asked: 'Who is that?'. He said: 'That's Kirk Allan. We were MMA play-fighting and things got out of hand'."

Murray also said pepper spray had been used. Police went on to find a black-handled meat cleaver in his jeans.

Other officers went on to make the grim discovery of Kirk's body at the flat.

The cause of death included blunt force head trauma and asphyxia.

Murray had previously tried to plead guilty to the reduced accusation of culpable homicide at an earlier hearing.

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