Thug jailed after murdering his own brother with knife

A THUG who killed his own brother claimed his sibling had stabbed himself.

Martin Docherty, 39, fatally wounded Ross Docherty at his flat in Johnstone on September 13, 2020.

A judge heard how the incident was “five minutes which changed a number of lives”.

Docherty has now been jailed for seven and a half years after he pleaded guilty to the culpable homicide of his 33- year- old brother.

Dad- of- four Ross usually lived alone in Linwood and had successfully battled a number of personal issues. But he had been staying with his brother on and off for a spell at the time.

Prosecutor Richard Goddard KC told the High Court in Glasgow it appeared the siblings had a “fractious relationship”.

It emerged the pair had a “confrontation” the night before the killing.

On the morning of the attack, they were then heard shouting at one another. Ross eventually ended up at his brother’s flat in Johnstone at 1.37pm.

At 1.42pm, Docherty was then on the phone to 999 claiming Ross had been “stabbed in the thigh”.

Neighbours went on to discover stricken Ross lying on the stairs in the close.

Ross was rushed to hospital, but a vital artery in his leg had been struck and he passed away on September 16.

Docherty later repeated to officers Ross had knifed himself after an argument.

But after the attack it emerged Docherty told a family member: “Ross punched me, so I stabbed him.”

This was reported to police, resulting in Docherty being charged with culpable homicide.

Raymond McIlwham, defending, said Docherty wants to

“seek forgiveness” from their mother for what happened.

Lord Doherty cut the jail term from 10 years due to the guilty plea.