The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Man jailed for killing city DJ in bin attack
Adrinker who killed a Dundee DJ after throwing a wheelie bin at him was yesterday jailed for 20 months. Stephen Robbins, 34, got into an early morning confrontation with Ryan Barrie, who went into the street to remonstrate with him.
Drunk Robbins was walking home from a bar in Dundee and being “generally noisy” in Benvie Gardens, where Mr Barrie lived.
He pushed and punched fatherof-one Mr Barrie before striking him with the bin.
Mr Barrie fell and hit his head on a wooden fence beam.
The 39-year-old was helped back into a house and fell asleep but was later found to have stopped breathing. Attempts to resuscitate the victim were in vain.
A post-mortem examination established he had sustained an acute subdural haemorrhage, with blood collecting between the skull and brain surface, resulting in increased internal pressure.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard the haemorrhage was likely to have been caused by Mr Barrie falling and striking his head on the beam.
Unemployed Robbins was originally charged with murdering his victim on March 1 last year but the Crown accepted his guilty plea to the lesser charge of culpable homicide.
He admitted assaulting and killing his victim by pushing and punching him and striking him with the bin, whereby he fell and struck his head.
The court heard Robbins, who has three previous convictions for assault, was walking home at about 1am when trouble flared.
Advocate depute Leanne Cross said: “He was intoxicated and generally noisy. The deceased got out of bed and went to his bedroom window. He entered a heated exchange with the accused.”
A confrontation descended into the pair throwing punches but, as Mr Barrie then tried to leave the scene, Robbins set about him again – hurling the empty bin at him which caused the older man to fall and hit his head.
Robbins made off arrested later that day.
Mr Barrie, known as “Mini” among friends, was a popular DJ and well-loved in Dundee’s music scene.
Presiding judge Lady Scott said she was satisfied Robbins’ culpability was low and there was no serious violence or any intent to cause severe injury. but was