Murderer jailed for life in retrial over party killing

● Victim’s family ‘destroyed’ by actions of killer

A man who stabbed a fatherof-four through the heart after he complained about a noisy party has been jailed for life.

Adam Lundy, 28, was convicted last month of murdering John Kiltie, 44, outside a house in Girvan, South Ayrshire, on 28 May 2016.

Bus driver Mr Kiltie, who was stabbed four times, collapsed and died in his mother Georgina Kiltie’s arms after saying: “Help me, mum.”

Lundy’s appearance in court today is the second time he has stood trial for Mr Kiltie’s murder. He was convicted in December 2016, given a life sentence and ordered to serve at least 19 years in prison.

But the conviction was quashed by the appeal court and a re-trial was ordered.

At the High Court in Glasgow today judge Lady Stacey told Lundy: “I’m going to impose the same punishment part as was imposed in the first trial.”

She backdated the punishment to December 2016 when he was originally sentenced.

Lady Stacey said: “You took the life of a man who was a well-loved son, partner, brother and father. You did so in the course of a violent attack with a knife, following a distur- bance started and caused by you and your friends. In doing so you have left his family broken-hearted, life will never be the same again for them.”

The judge said that Mr Kiltie’s youngest child is “too young to remember him”.

Prosecutor Iain Mcsporran previously read out parts of impact statements provided by Mr Kiltie’s family for the judge to consider.

He said: “Mr Kiltie’s father John senior said his son’s murder ‘destroyed everyone in the family’ and added: ‘There is no joy in my life’. He said he is sad that his son’s youngest child will never know his father. He says his son was a good father and that his family meant the world to him and he to them.”

The court was told that Mr Kiltie’s mother is “broken hearted and unable to cope” and describes herself as “a broken woman”.

Mr Kiltie’s partner Sharon Tweedie said in a letter to the judge: “He was my best friend and partner for 23 years who was always there for me and the children. I don’t think the pain will ever go away.”

The court heard Mr Kiltie was targeted after phoning the police about a noisy party in Park Road, Girvan.

He had lived in the street with his partner, 39-year-old Ms Tweedie, for 20 years.

Defence counsel Thomas Ross QC said: “Mr Lundy acknowledges the harm he’s done.”