Man stabbed to death in random attack was on phone to his mother
A horrified mother heard her son scream for help and plead for his life over the telephone as he was being fatally attacked during his lunch break, a court has heard.
Paul Smith, 28, had just enjoyed a KFC meal and was returning to work when he was targeted by George Mcadam in the shadow of Edinburgh
Castle. The Edinburgh University IT worker was on the phone to his mother, Margaret, when Mcadam struck in Johnston Terrace in May this year.
Homeless drifter Mcadam stabbed Smith 32 times with a pair of scissors, the High Court in Glasgow was told.
Mcadam inflicted savage injuries to Smith’s chest and neck and he was declared dead at the scene.
Passers-by tried to intervene but could not reach Smith after Mcadam dragged him onto an embankment on Castle Terrace.
One hurled a rock at the attacker and another followed him after the attack was over – witnessing Mcadam, 40, wash Smith’s blood off his hands.
And a third member of the
public rugby-tackled Mcadam to the ground as he tried to flee through a car park.
Mcadam faced a murder charge but he was formally acquitted after prosecutors accepted his not guilty plea on the basis he “lacked criminal responsibility” at the time due to a mental disorder.
He will remain at the maximum security State Hospital at Carstairs until a further hearing in February,
Prosecutor Ashley Edwards QC revealed details of the horrific attack on Smith, from Balerno.
She said: “He was still chatting to his mother by telephone. She then describes hearing ‘a horrific scream’.
She heard her son saying: ‘Help me...need police, need police’.”
Margaret immediately yelled to her husband Ian to dial 999.
Miss Edwards said: “His mum immediately told her husband to call police as their son needed help. She stayed on the phone to her son.” The court heard Mcadam had grabbed Smith, who tried to defend himself as he was fighting for his life.
Miss Edwards said: “Mcadam repeatedly stabbed him in the chest area. Paul Smith shouted ‘he’s stabbed me’ and fell to the ground.” Mcadam then dragged Smith down the embankment while continuing the attack. He knelt down beside Smith striking him “multiple times” on the body and neck.
Members of the public heard
Smith’s cries, but the court heard Mcadam appeared “oblivious”.
Miss Edwards added: “Given the steep incline witnesses felt unable to reach Paul Smith.
“One threw a stone at Mcadam in an attempt to scare him.”
Smith repeatedly raised his hands to try and keep his attacker away. He also kicked out at Mcadam, who eventually raced into Princes Street Gardens.
Paul ended up rolling down the steep hill before emergency services arrived to help him.
Police and paramedics spent more than 30 minutes trying to save Paul and stem the flow of blood from the 32 wounds.
Witnesses followed Mcadam and saw him washing his hands in a puddle.
Civil engineer Raynold Richards tracked Mcadam to a nearby NCP car park.
The court heard Mcadam was later seen by psychiatrists and found to be suffering from paranoid schizophrenia. Lord Turnbull ordered him held on an interim compulsion order.