Alan Storie jailed for life for murder of David Findlay Published duration 23 January 2014

image copyright other image caption David Findlay dies after being fatally slashed on the neck by Storie

A man who slashed his neighbour's throat with a butcher's knife after being taunted about his ginger hair has been jailed for life for murder.

Alan Storie, 26, was convicted of killing David Findlay, 41, in Toryglen, South Lanarkshire, on 29 June 2013.

The High Court in Glasgow heard how Storie told police after he was arrested that Mr Findlay would never call him "ginger-heided" again.

Storie must serve a minimum of 16 years before he can apply for parole.

The trial heard how Mr Findlay died after his windpipe was cut through and his carotid artery and jugular vein were severed.

Jailing Storie, judge Lord Bonomy told him: "Nothing I've heard here or during the trial can begin to explain the callous and vindictive attack on David Findlay, essentially slashing him outside his own home."

The court heard that the two men had played Xbox games together in the past.

On the night of the killing, a row developed after Storie asked if Mr Findlay wanted to play on the games console with him, but was asked to leave.

Both men had words outside the block of flats at 02:10, which included Mr Findlay making derogatory remarks about the colour of Storie's hair.

The Crown said it was at this point that the fatal blow was struck, and that Mr Findlay crawled back upstairs and lay dying outside his flat.

Blood loss

Storie claimed that he did not slash Mr Findlay outside the flats. He alleged that they had gone inside and that minutes later Mr Findlay banged on his door repeatedly.

Storie said he looked out of his spy hole and thought Mr Findlay had a dagger - although no weapon was ever found.

Storie told the jury he went to his kitchen, grabbed a large butcher's knife, opened the door and slashed Mr Findlay on the neck.

The trial heard how the gaping wound caused massive blood loss and Mr Findlay collapsed outside his flat.

Storie left his flat, taking the murder weapon with him.

At 03:00 he phoned his grandmother and told her: "It's Alan. I think I've murdered a boy. I tried to get him on the face and I think I got him on the neck."

In evidence, father-of-one Storie admitted slashing Mr Findlay with the knife, but claimed he was acting in self-defence.

He said: "I didn't even want to hit him with the knife. If he hadn't challenged me at my door I would never have hit him. I just wanted to get him away from my door."

Advocate depute David Taylor, prosecuting, revealed that Storie had previous convictions which included assault, domestic violence and police assault.