Man jailed for life for killing childhood friend with shotgun in Ayrshire

A man has been jailed for life for blasting a man to death in his home. 44 year old Garland Greene shot childhood friend Paul Cairns in the chest after walking into the house in Ardrossan, Ayrshire on May 24 last year.

Paul, 42, was gunned down in front of his partner Victoria Woods - the cousin of Greene.

Victoria, 46, passed away before the trial began - but her earlier recorded testimony played a crucial role in solving the crime as she easily recognised him despite being masked.

Greene was today/yesterday jailed for a minimum 22 years for what a judge described as a "cold blooded killing".

He had initially appeared in the dock days after the murder under his name James Ferguson.

But, by the time he stood trial at the High Court in Glasgow, he was now known as Garland Greene - a fictional killer from the film Con Air played by Steve Buscemi.

Jurors heard how Greene turned up at the house wearing blue overalls, a white face mask and a black beanie hat.

A decorator painting the couple's home had answered the door to him.

Paul had been living with Victoria at the time due to her health problems.

In her evidence played to the court, she recalled the killing.

Victoria stated: "He had a gun. I screamed at him and said: ' I am ill. Get out my f***ing room'.

"I just froze when he came in, I just froze.

"He said to Paul: 'You were f***ing warned'. Paul said 'no'...and he shot him."

"I panicked, Paul must have flipped over, he was lying on his front.

"I pulled Paul over...he had shot him in the chest."

Victoria said she knew Greene was responsible adding: "He is my cousin. I know his eyes, his voice and his build."

She also stated Greene and her partner had been friends since they were aged four.

Attempts were made to save Paul, but he never survived.

Victoria's daughter Demi, 27, later told jurors how she was made aware of an incident at her mum's house by someone on social media.

She then received text messages from Greene later that day as well as a missed call.

She replied: "I remember him saying 'What's happening at your mum's?'.

"I think folk had been on the phone.

"I said to him if he knew anything about this and he said 'It must have been Liverpool ones'.

"I did not know anything had happened to Paul at this point."

It emerged Greene had threatened a man to take him to Ardrossan on the day of the murder and that he would get others to shoot him if he did not.

Greene denied the killing - but other evidence also linked him to the crime including the dumped shotgun as well as bullets being found.

Prosecutor Alan Cameron described the case against Greene as "overwhelming".

After the guilty verdict, Mr Cameron said Greene had previously been jailed for four years at the high court for violence.

Laura Anne Radcliffe, defending, today/yesterday told the court: "He is aware there is only one sentence. I am bound by his initial instructions which is one of denial."

Lord Burns jailed Greene, of Kilwinning, Ayrshire, for life.

The judge said: "This is a crime which plainly was a carefully planned shooting with a shotgun and ammunition for the purposes of killing Paul Cairns in his own home.

"You discharged the gun at point blank range. This was a pre meditated and cold blooded killing.

"Your responsibility for the murder has been established to the satisfaction of the jury on the most clearest of evidence."

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