Wishaw man attacked cousin in row over lawnmower

A man fatally stabbed his cousin after an argument over a lawnmower, a court has heard.

28 year-old Aaron McGuire fought with 39-year-old Kevin Gallacher in Wishaw on July 4.

The pair had been involved in a dispute over a lawnmower which escalated into a fight.

McGuire shouted “I'm doing you” and the pair confronted one another and threw punches at each other.

McGuire fell to his knees and as Mr Gallacher walked away, he was fatally struck at the back of the left thigh.

The dad-of-one shouted “He's just stabbed me”, and McGuire made his way home.

The following day on hearing Mr Gallacher was dead, McGuire's mum directed nearby police to her son.

Yesterday at the High Court in Glasgow, McGuire from Flaxmill Avenue, Craigneuk, in the North Lanarkshire town, admitted the culpable homicide of Mr Gallacher.

The court heard the men were known to each other and described as “second cousins” being distantly related to one another.

Advocate depute Steven Borthwick said: “In the course of July 4, the accused and deceased became involved in a dispute over possession of a lawnmower.

“The precise circumstances of this dispute are unclear.

It was said that Mr Gallacher was "anticipating" trouble later that day.

Mr Gallacher had been socialising that evening at a friend's house in the area and left around 11.35pm.

He was in the street outside when McGuire appeared from the end of the road and shouted “I'm doing you”.

The two men threw punches at each other and multiple blows were struck by each of them, which continued for several minutes.

Mr Borthwick continued: “At some point in the course of the incident, Mr Gallacher struck McGuire on the head with a Budweiser bottle.

“In the course of the incident, McGuire inflicted three stab wounds on Mr Gallacher.”

This included the fatal stab wound, as well as injuries to his left forearm and left thigh.

Towards the end of the incident, having been hit, McGuire stumbled back a few steps and fell on to this back.

Mr Gallacher turned away and took a step away from McGuire.

The court heard: “McGuire moved onto his knees, he moved towards Mr Gallacher, remaining in a kneeling position and struck out at Mr Gallacher's leg, inflicting a stab would to the back of Mr Gallacher's left thigh.

“Mr Gallacher shouted 'He's just stabbed me'.”

He suffered a cardiac arrest on the way to Wishaw General because blood loss and despite efforts, he could not be saved.

McGuire walked to his mother's house nearby, covered in blood and told her “Gal kept hitting me with a Budweiser bottle”.

He had a gash to one side of his head and the other was covered in blood, as were his face and hands.

The following morning his mother, Maureen Cook heard Gallacher had died and told police at the scene that her son was at her house and they should take him away.

Defence QC Tony Graham: “Mr Gallacher was related to Mr McGuire, they were friends beyond that.”

He added: “This was a close relationship which has ended through the culpable actions of Mr McGuire taking Mr Gallacher's life in circumstances which started off as a ridiculous dispute and escalated in to this episode.”

The court heard McGuire is “haunted” by the consequences of his actions.

Judge Lord Beckett QC deferred sentence until next month