Man jailed for murder of Bellshill dad
A man with a criminal record stretching back to when he was 10 has been jailed for life for the murder of a Bellshill dad.
A man with a criminal record stretching back to when he was 10 has been jailed for life for the murder of a Bellshill dad.
Reece Brunton smirked today after being ordered to serve a minimum 13 years for the killing of John Hamilton last November.
The 21 year-old was back at the High Court in Glasgow after previously admitting to the murder of Mr Hamilton.
Liam Kippen, 21, was meantime jailed for eight years following his guilty plea to the reduced charge of culpable homicide.
Judge Lord Turnbull told the pair: “You each participated in an act of brutal violence. You each bear responsibility for what was done.”
Brunton grinned as he was lead handcuffed to the cells.
The court earlier heard the 35 year-old victim was attacked after a getting a message from Kippen warning him to stay away from Gemma Mooney.
Miss Mooney had once been in a relationship with Mr Hamilton – but Kippen had since been in a “close friendship” with her.
The message warned that if anyone went near her “am doing a lifer”.
Brunton and Kippen later turned up at a house in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire where the victim was.
Kippen was heard yelling: “We're coming through that door”.
Prosecutor David Taylor told how Mr Hamilton was then repeatedly stabbed as Brunton was armed with a blade.
Kippen meantime got a piece of concrete which he was seen striking or trying to hit Mr Hamilton with.
One terrified woman near to the attack yelled: “I've got three kids in here.”
Brunton then said to her: “Shake my hand, its got nothing to do with you.” He and Kippen then fled.
The victim never recovered from the attack. He was found to have six stab wounds.
Brunton later boasted how he had been “going mental” and had been “stabbing Hammy to f***”.
Asked why he had used a knife, he replied: “F*** it, its done now.”
Brunton was described in court as a “habitual offender”. He had crimes since the age of 10 with 28 offences dealt with by Children's Panel.
He has latterly been locked up for assault and having a knife.