Murderer who killed young dad dies in jail

CASTLE HUNTLY: 47-year-old prisoner was convicted of sword attack in 2002

A 47-year-old man jailed for brutally murdering a young Dundee father with a miniature samurai sword has died in prison.

Alexander Touati, who was found guilty of the murder of James Connelly in 2002, died in Castle Huntly open prison at Longforgan.

The cause of death is not known. A statement from the Scottish Prison Service said: “Alexander Touati, 47, a prisoner at HMP Castle Huntly, has died.

“He was convicted at the High Court in Glasgow on October 11 2002.

“Police Scotland has been advised and the matter will be reported to the procurator fiscal. A fatal accident inquiry will be held in due course.”

Touati had just been released from prison – where he had been serving a nine-year sentence for raping a student – when he murdered James Connelly on New Year’s Day 2002.

During a six-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow, jurors were told how Touati’s home in Ormiston Crescent in Whitfield had become a drugs den since his release from jail.

Mr Connelly, who did not use drugs, and a friend visited the house. A row erupted and Mr Connelly and his friend left the property.

Mr Connelly returned to the house a short time later and the row broke out again.

According to witnesses, Mr Connelly was then chased away from the premises by a number of men carrying an assortment of weapons including a sword, sticks and a hockey stick.

As he ran, he slipped and fell on some ice and was attacked. Although he curled up in a ball to protect himself, Touati’s accomplice Russell Gilfillan pulled Mr Connolly’s arms and legs out of the foetal position so that Touati could hack and stab at him with the miniature samurai.

He was also viciously hit with sticks and the hockey stick.

The horrifying attack was witnessed by a 12-year-old girl out walking her dog.

She ran home but was followed by the two killers who told her not to say anything, warning her: “You’re next” before being chased off by her mother.

The fatal injury to Mr Connelly was a sword wound that speared his lung, stomach, spleen, pancreas, and gall bladder.

During an operation he was given 25 pints of blood but doctors could not save his life.

Touati and Gilfillan then bullied two boys, aged nine and 11, into hiding the sword and other weapons used in the murder, and bloodstained jackets.

Police Scotland has been advised and the matter will be reported to the procurator fiscal. A fatal accident inquiry will be held in due course