The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Life in prison for man who killed two people
Murderer to serve 23 1/2 years for killings
A Dundee man has been jailed for life after being convicted of murdering a woman and killing a man following a wake for a tragic teenager.
Robert Stratton, 43, stabbed hairdresser Julie McCash, 43, and landscape gardener David Sorrie, 32, following a February 2017 gettogether for the friends and family of Ralphie Smith, 18, in Dundee.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard how friends of Ralph congregated at a house in the city’s Drumlanrig Drive in the early hours of February 26.
They had gathered in the hope that Ralphie, who had earlier fallen from cliffs in Arbroath, was still alive.
His body was eventually discovered on the nearby beach at Victoria Park in March 2017.
Ms McCash was the godmother of Ralph Smith’s younger brother.
The court heard how people at the party consumed alcohol and took illegal drugs.
As the evening progressed, Stratton’s partner Lee Kinney got involved in an argument with fellow partygoers.
The court heard how Ms Kinney was beaten up by fellow partygoers in the street.
She told the court that she was in fear of her life and had to run home.
She said she was scared the people who had beaten her up were going to break into her house.
However, rather than wait for the police to arrive, the court heard Stratton left the property armed with two kitchen knives.
He stabbed Ms McCash before plunging a blade into Mr Sorrie. Both later died from the injuries. On Thursday, jurors convicted driver Stratton of murdering Ms McCash.
They also convicted Stratton of the culpable homicide under provocation of Mr Sorrie.
Passing sentence, judge Lord Beckett told Stratton that he’d have to serve 23-and-a-half years in jail before he’d be eligible for parole.
He added: “The taking of two knives transformed a minor incident into two killings.
“For someone like you, with a previous conviction for attempted murder, who killed two people and in one case committed murder severe punishment is necessary.”
Following the verdicts, prosecution lawyer Alex Prentice QC revealed Stratton had been given a sevenyear sentence at the High Court in Dunfermline for attempted murder.
Stratton sat in the dock with his head bowed during the proceedings.
Mr Prentice told the court the family of the two deceased had been “severely affected” by the deaths.
A relative needed treatment for hair loss.
Defence lawyer Edward Targowski QC told the court his client had acknowledged responsibility for his actions.
He said: “He has expressed contrition throughout consultations with me and as you will remember from his evidence and demeanour, he has maintained contrition for his actions throughout proceedings.”
The jury’s verdicts came on the fifth day of proceedings at the court.
Stratton, of Dundee, had admitted killing the pair at the city’s Drumlanrig Drive at the start of proceedings.
He claimed he acted in self defence.