Man given life term for ‘execution’ of neighbour

GLENROTHES: Killer told police he was ‘proud’ of murdering father-of-three

A man who “executed” his neighbour because of alleged sexual misconduct toward two teenage girls told police: “A part of me is proud of myself for doing it.”

Greig Love, 20, previously admitted murdering father-of-three Daniel O’farrell, 21, in Greenlaw Crescent, Glenrothes, on the morning of Saturday September 8 2017, following a party.

Yesterday he was sentenced to life behind bars.

After hearing allegations that Mr O’farrell had sexually abused and made lewd remarks about the two girls in question, Love angrily confronted him at his home and stabbed him three times in his upper body, killing him.

Love confessed his crime to detectives, although he admitted he had been “proud” of himself.

Mr O’farrell’s fiancée had given birth to his third child, a daughter, just 10 days before tragedy struck.

In sentencing, Lord Matthews told Love he would have to serve a minimum of 14 years in prison before even being considered for parole, a term that would have been 17 years but for his guilty plea.

“Even if the complaints against Mr O’farrell were true, they can’t amount to an excuse,” the judge said. “The appropriate course of action would be to involve the police but you carried out what is in essence an execution.

“Mr O’farrell’s parents had the awful experience of burying their child and his daughter will grow up never knowing him and have a life blighted by knowing that he was murdered.”

The court previously heard how Love challenged Mr O’farrell about his behaviour and sexual remarks he allegedly made about the two girls, who were aged 16 and 14 at the time, which Mr O’farrell vehemently denied.

Defence solicitor Ian Duguid said it had been claimed that Mr O’farrell had asked if one of the girls had lost her virginity and, if she hadn’t, he would take it and then take her to the woods in a “black bag”.

His client took exception to these comments, the solicitor noted, but said Love had been “very sorry” for reacting in the way he did. “He very much regrets and is disgusted by what he did,” Mr Duguid added.

On the morning of the murder, Love went to Mr O’farrell’s house and, armed with two knives, stabbed him three times in the chest and back. One knife was left embedded in his back and the blade of the other knife was left in the chest.

Love then went to his parents’ home at 9am and said: “Help me, take me to the police station. I think I’ve killed somebody.”

Love’s father went to Mr O’farrell’s home and found him lying dead on the floor. He then took his son to Glenrothes Police Station where Love told officers: “I put a knife in him. He’s got bairns.”

He later added: “I’ve got anger management issues and I black out. I turned him over and I watched him breathing his last breath. I’m sad but a part of me is proud of myself for doing it.”

Describing the attack as “entirely out of character”, Mr Duguid noted a social work report that suggested Love appeared “immature” and had an “air of bravado” about him, although he said his client had been bullied at school, was dyslexic and had been taken out of school aged 15, which could explain the social worker’s view.

He added: “He recognises he is facing a life sentence and he is determined to try and educate himself to enable him to be a better person on his release.”

Mr O’farrell’s family embraced each other shortly after the sentence was handed down.

Mr O’farrell’s fiancée Megan Walton, who was not in court, had previously described him as a “great dad” and said she had been left “heartbroken”.

“My life has been shattered,” she said. “Just can’t believe you’ll never see your babies grow up but I promise I will always keep them safe and be a brilliant mother to them for you.

“Just want to hear your voice one last time, give you a cuddle once more.”

csmith@thecourier.co.uk

The court heard Love was “immature” and had an “air of bravado” about him.