Knife thug is jailed for life

A KNIFE thug who stabbed his girlfriend’s ex-lover to death following a “stupid” row has been jailed for life.

Gary Reilly attacked Paul McCarroll, 49, in the street in Parkhead, Glasgow in February last year.

Reilly’s partner Lorna Holland – the mum of the victim’s child – told a jury how she tried to keep him alive after he had been struck.

The killer was yesterday locked up for at least 19 years after being convicted of murder at the High Court in Glasgow.

The fatal attack occurred outside Mr McCarroll’s home in the city’s Westmuir Street last February 23.

Fuming Reilly, 46, had turned up there to dump a bag of Miss Holland’s belongings.

She had stayed at Mr McCarroll’s flat following a row between the men that day.

The jury heard Mr McCarroll and Miss Holland had previously been in a relationship, but remained “good pals”.

The victim went downstairs to speak to Reilly. CCTV caught the pair confronting each other before Reilly stabbed the former bus driver.

Miss Holland, 37, told the court how she also eventually went onto the street.

She sobbed as she recalled tending to Mr McCarroll when realising he was hurt.

The mum told the court: “Paul was holding onto a pole – he was not really talking to me.

“He was just staring at me... then he slipped down the pole.”

Mr McCarroll never recovered after being rushed to hospital.

Reilly had denied the murder charge. He already had a lengthy list of crimes including a high court conviction for fire-raising.

Judge Lady Stacey told him: “You took a man’s life as a result of some stupid quarrel.”

Reilly showed no emotion as he headed to the cells to start his jail-term.