Man jailed for life for murdering Saltcoats pensioner
A dangerous thug who killed a pensioner by stabbing him 64 times has been jailed for life.
A dangerous thug who killed a pensioner by stabbing him 64 times has been jailed for life.
James Nolan pounced on frail Malcolm Ballantyne at his flat in Saltcoats for apparently no reason.
The 72 year-old's daughter later made the grim discovery of her father's body when she came to visit.
Nolan meantime fled to England, but was traced following a high-profile media appeal.
It was while down south he told a relative he had stabbed a man “loads of times” after the “red mist had come down”.
Nolan was today locked up for a minimum of 20 years after he pled guilty to a murder charge at the High Court in Glasgow.
It emerged the 33 year-old already had 51 convictions – including for violence and carrying a blade.
Judge Lady Rae told him he was responsible for the death of a “vulnerable and defenceless” old man in what was a “cruel killing”.
Nolan showed no emotion as he was led handcuffed to start his life sentence.
Malcolm – known as Malky – was a well-liked figure within the local Saltcoats community.
The court heard he had “no known enemies” and was never in bother with the police.
He suffered from poor health – including heart disease – and his daughter Julie often visited to help her dad, who lived alone.
The last time she saw Malcolm – around a day before the murder – he was in “good spirits”.
Prosecutor Andrew Brown QC said the motive for the killing last August “remains unclear” adding it was not known if the pensioner knew Nolan.
However, the court was told trusting Malcolm would allow people into his close when they chapped his living room window.
In the early hours of August 21st, a neighbour of the OAP spotted man standing near Malcolm's window. This was after a male was heard “shouting aggressively”.
A couple of hours later, Nolan then stormed into his mum's home in Saltcoats and demanded she get up.
Nolan – who spent the hours before the killing downing valium and alcohol – said he had stabbed a man adding it was a “bad one”.
The thug also told his girlfriend he had to leave the town as he had “been in a fight with boys” from nearby Kilwinning.
Malcolm's daughter went to visit his dad later that day unaware of the horror inside.
Mr Brown told the court: “She saw her father's body lying on the living room floor.
“He was on his left side covered in blood. She tried to rouse him, but got no response and felt he was cold to touch.”
She frantically yelled for help before calling 999 herself.
Julie then tried in vain to revive her dad, but he was pronounced dead at the flat.
The hearing was told there were a total of 64 stab wounds on the head, neck, chest, arms and back. He also had 40 rib fractures.
But, it emerged frail Malcolm had bravely tried to fight off his killer as he had “defensive” type injuries.
Nolan meantime fled to Brighton, East Sussex where his father lived.
It was there he confessed to his step-sister that he had “gone mad on a guy”.
He claimed the “red mist had come down” adding he “stabbed him loads of times and the guy died”.
Amid a large-scale probe to catch the killer, a Crimestoppers appeal was then launched with a ÂŁ10,000 reward.
A call was soon received about Nolan admitting to his mum that he had stabbed someone in Saltcoats.
His DNA was also found on an item at Malcolm's flat and on September 14 he was held in Brighton for the murder.
Prior to the killing, Nolan was a jobless drug addict who had previously been spared jail for carrying a knife.
The court heard he claimed now to have no memory of the murder.
Sentencing, Lady Rae told Nolan: “Malcolm Ballantyne was a vunerable, defenceless elderly man brutally killed in an apparently motiveless attack.”
The judge went on: “The family will never know why you deprived them in such a cruel manner.”
She added the violence inflicted was “frankly appalling” and that the minimum term would have been 22 years, but for the guilty plea.
The Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Superintendent Gary Cunningham of the Major Investigation Team said: "This was an extremely violent, unprovoked attack on an elderly man who was well known and respected in the local Community and has left his family and friends completely devastated.
“It is hard to imagine how difficult the last year has been for Mr Ballantyne’s family, however, I hope that today's verdict provides some comfort and closure to them, knowing that the person responsible will be in custody for a considerable time."
The Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Superintendent Gary Cunningham of the Major Investigation Team said:
"This was an extremely violent, unprovoked attack on an elderly man who was well known and respected in the local Community and has left his family and friends completely devastated.
“It is hard to imagine how difficult the last year has been for Mr Ballantyne’s family, however, I hope that today's verdict provides some comfort and closure to them, knowing that the person responsible will be in custody for a considerable time."