Man jailed for six years for killing grandfather at Edinburgh station

Man jailed for six years for killing grandfather at Edinburgh station

Web Desk
August 3, 2022

Man jailed for six years for killing grandfather at Edinburgh station

Marc McKinlay, 38, attacked Donald Maguire, 58, and his son Brian at Haymarket station.
After being shoved down a flight of steps, father collapsed and later died in hospital. McKinlay was found guilty of culpable homicide last month.
He has now been sentenced to six years in prison for killing the grandfather.

A man has been sentenced to six years in prison for throwing a grandpa down a flight of steps at an Edinburgh train station.

In February 2020, Marc McKinlay, 38, attacked Donald Maguire, 58, and his son Brian at Haymarket station.

After being shoved by McKinlay, Mr Maguire Sr collapsed and banged his head. He passed away later in the hospital.

McKinlay, of Cowdenbeath, Fife, was found guilty of culpable homicide at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Mr Maguire and his son had spent the evening in Edinburgh before travelling to Haymarket to catch a train home.

McKinlay shoved Donald Maguire down the steps before turning on him, kicking him and hitting him on the head with a bag containing beer cans.

Witness Connie Dalrymple, 29, testified in court that she witnessed a “bit of a brawl” between the three guys.

“It occurred so fast,” she said. I was a little shaken. We watched the accused smack the young man in the face with a bag. We noticed the older man being shoved.

“When he fell we heard his head crack. He lay just still. He didn’t move. We thought it was quite serious.”

McKinlay, who was apprehended after boarding a train, admits to injuring Mr Maguire’s son severely.

Mr Maguire died from his injuries on March 4 at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh.

Last month, a jury found the defendant guilty of culpable homicide.

“I have read victim impact statements from Mr Maguire’s wife, son, and daughter, and these each reflect in moving words the understandable loss that Mr Maguire’s death has had upon them,” said judge Fiona Tait as she sentenced McKinlay.

“There is no sentence which the court can impose that can bring Mr Maguire back to his family or indeed reflect his loss.

“It is accurate in these circumstances that a custodial sentence is the appropriate disposal in this case.”

McKinlay was also sentenced to 15 months in prison for abusing Mr Maguire’s son, which will run concurrently with the six-year sentence.

According to defence solicitor advocate Iain McSporran QC, the attack occurred in the “heat of the moment.”

He told the judge that McKinlay did not intend to kill Mr Maguire and asked that the punishment reflect this.

[embedpost slug=”liverpool-man-jailed-for-killing-his-wife/”]