A 17-year-old teenager in Edinburgh murdered a man with a hunting knife and was given a life sentence with a minimum of 17 years, while he was on bail for slashing another victim. The teenager chased and killed a 22-year-old adult, John McNab, in an unprovoked attack on Great Junction Street in Leith on September 02, last year.
Here’s everything you need to know about the case of a teenager’s life sentence in Edinburgh.
Teenager Killed John McNab
A 17-year-old teenager in Edinburgh murdered John McNab with a hunting knife while he was on bail for slashing another victim.
The teenager chased and killed a 22-year-old adult, John McNab, in an unprovoked attack on Great Junction Street in Leith on September 02, last year. This incident occurred 4 months after he was released on bail.
17-Year-Old Teenager’s Previous Crime
He was charged with a knife attack on a 16-year-old boy at Portobello Beach.
Who is the 17-Year-Old Teenager?
The teenager cannot be named because of his age, and he previously pleaded guilty to both attacks. During his sentencing at the High Court in Dundee, the judge, Lord Harrower, told the “merciless attack” had taken the life of a young man with everything to live for.
He added that the loss had left “an incalculable void in the lives of his family and friends”.
Who was John McNab?
John McNab was a warehouse worker who was seen in CCTV footage begging for his life before the teenager stabbed him four times as he lay on the ground.
On the night of John McNab’s death, some of his friends were also involved in a brief, angry dispute with the teenager and were struck and slapped on the face.
How this Incident Happened?
The teenager followed the friends to a nearby flat, shouting threats, and waited outside for more than two hours before targeting John McNab as he left to get a taxi. However, the victim had not been involved in the earlier incident.
John McNab’s Mother on His Death
Lisa Petrie, the mother of John McNab, campaigned for stricter rules around the sale of kitchen knives, stating that they should be given the same security packaging as bottles of spirits or removed from shelves and placed behind counters.
She has also called for tight restrictions on knife sales, like the blade that was used in her son’s murder. She also added that selling such knives to under-18 should be against the law.
