A person who beat a stroke sufferer to dying after befriending him throughout Scotland’s first Covid lockdown was at present caged for 10 years and advised he could be supervised for 3 years following his launch from jail.
William Collins admitted leaving William McCallum with 66 accidents – together with a recent mind haemorrhage, damaged ribs and a number of bruises – after attacking him in his residence.
The 40-year-old, from Falkirk, had befriended McCallum on the pharmacy which Collins himself attended thrice every week to gather treatment for his heroin habit.
Within the weeks main as much as 66-year outdated Mr McCallum's dying in 2020, Collins had change into an everyday customer to Mr McCallum's flat in Redding, Falkirk, the place the "frail and weak" father-of-six lived.
Ian Duguid, QC, defending, stated the offence occurred in June 2020, round three months into the primary Covid lockdown.
He described Collins and Mr McCallum as “remoted figures” who each lived alone however, within the circumstances of the pandemic, met frequently.
He stated each the accused and his sufferer had taken road Valium on the day of the killing because of which Collins had “little or no data or recollection” of occasions.
He advised the Excessive Courtroom at Livingston: “Mr McCallum sustained an damage to the again of his head which seems to have been a trauma with a tough floor.
“A care employee who was current witnessed Mr McCallum being dragged from a mattress onto the hard-surfaced flooring by the accused.
“If this had been two sober gents in regular circumstances searching for immediate medical consideration then Mr McCallum’s demise could not have come to cross.
“Mr Collins bears duty for the accidents from which Mr McCallum however his lack of correct recollection appreciable frustrates him and causes him a substantial amount of regret and remorse.”
Mr Duguid stated Colins was tearful when discussing what had occurred between him and Mr McCallum.
He added: “There’s no approach he anticipated that Mr McCallum was going to lose his life however clearly a disagreement had arisen between the 2 of them.
“It could have associated to the truth that Mr Collins was unable to seek out his belongings – his pockets, financial institution card and medicines he was carrying on the time and that’s how the 2 males got here into dispute.”
The courtroom heard earlier that Mr McCallum, who was diabetic and suffered from COPD, was "scared" of Collins, who would "snap, shout and bawl" at him.
Prosecutor John Keenan stated Mr McCallum’s carer who witnessed Collins pulling the deceased away from bed and attempting to tug him out of the room had left "hurriedly" and reported what had occurred to her workplace.
Over "quite a few hours", neighbours then heard sounds of arguing, Collins demanding cash, and "loud banging and boring thuds" from the flat.
They heard Mr McCallum saying: "Look what you've got carried out to me. What are you attempting to do to me?" and noticed Collins leaving with blood on his joggers.
Collins returned about 9.30pm and broke a window of Mr McCallum's flat to get again in. At this level, police have been known as. Collins led officers to the physique of the accused who was in mattress within the foetal place, unresponsive, and never respiratory."
A submit mortem put dying down to move and chest accidents, mixed with methadone and etizolam [street Valium] toxicity.
The examination recognized "66 particular person and teams of blunt-force damage - predominantly recent, latest bruises across the face, head and trunk".
A subdural haemorrhage – bleeding to the sufferer’s mind – was thought to have been "of central significance".
Passing sentence, Lord Weir advised Collins: “The cost to which you pled responsible was initially a cost of homicide.
"Following the balloting of the jury on this and different expenses the Crown accepted a really lately tendered plea of responsible to a cost of culpable murder.
“You have to be underneath little question that the cost continues to be a really severe one certainly, involving because it did the dying of Mr McCallum.
“You seized maintain of him, pulled and dragged him by the physique and repeatedly inflicted blunt power trauma to his head and physique.
“There was no justification for subjecting Mr McCallum to an assault of the character associated to the courtroom, by no means thoughts the extent of violence which may be inferred from it.”
He added: “It’s clear you could have visited appreciable violence in opposition to him, no matter your reminiscence could now be.
“The medical proof particulars that the sample and distribution of the accidents have been in line with repeated blunt power trauma by punches, kicks, falls in opposition to onerous surfaces or a mix of all three.”
The decide stated an “eloquent” sufferer impression assertion submitted by the sufferer’s daughters – three of whom have been in courtroom to see Collins being sentenced – spoke of the ache the household continued to endure because of his loss.
Lord Weir stated it was clear from the evaluation within the legal justice social work report that Collins introduced a threat of significant hurt to the general public and would require a excessive degree of supervision to facilitate his rehabilitation and eventual reintegration into society.
He imposed an prolonged sentence of 13 years, comprising a right away interval of custody for 10 years - backdated to June 29, 2020, when Collins was first remanded in jail - adopted by three years on licence after his eventual launch.
He warned Collins that he could possibly be recalled to custody if he did not adjust to the situations of his launch or dedicated additional offences whereas on licence.
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