The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Prison for killer who knifed man in fit of jealousy
PERTH: Robbie Smullen stabbed Barry Dixon to death
The thug who knifed another man to death in Perth during a row over his girlfriend has been jailed for more than nine years.
Robbie Smullen, 23, stabbed 22-year-old Barry Dixon in the heart in a fit of jealousy when he found his victim in his then girlfriend Shannon Beattie’s flat.
He was convicted of the culpable homicide of Barry in Perth’s Wallace Court last month and appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh for sentence yesterday.
The judge, Lady Carmichael, told Smullen: “No sentence I can impose today can repair or lessen the harm that you have caused to the family of Barry Dixon.”
In the dock beside Smullen was his mother, Mary Theresa Smullen, 46, who was ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work and given a two-year supervision order after admitting to perverting the course of justice.
She had lied to police, trying to blame Shannon Beattie for killing Barry.
Perth killer Robbie Smullen has been sentenced to more than nine years in prison. The 23-year-old was found guilty last month of killing 22-year-old Barry Dixon.
Mr Dixon died after being stabbed in the heart with a knife at a flat in Perth’s Wallace Court on June 4, 2019.
In Edinburgh yesterday morning, Lady Carmichael sentenced Smullen to nine years in prison, backdated to last March.
Smullen had a further three months added for breaching bail when he killed Mr Dixon.
Lady Carmichael told him: “No sentence I can impose today can repair or lessen the harm that you have caused to the family of Barry Dixon.
“The effects of your actions are enduring for them and felt deeply by them.”
She said the crime “involved the culpable taking of life using a knife.”
Smullen had denied murdering former Perth Academy pupil Mr Dixon in a fit of jealousy when he found his victim in his then girlfriend Shannon Beattie’s flat, claiming to have acted in self defence.
However, he later bragged about his actions.
A jury at the High Court in Edinburgh judged him guilty of the lesser offence of culpable homicide last month.
A criminal justice social work report had been prepared since Smullen’s conviction and defence counsel Ronnie Rennuci QC told the court he had been engaging in educational programmes since being remanded.
Mr Renucci QC agreed with a background report that described his client as an “immature” young man.
The court heard Smullen maintained the position he was provoked and acted in self defence.
“It was not the case that he was going looking for Mr Dixon, or looking for trouble,” Mr Renucci said.
“He was returning to his family home and came upon a situation which he was not and could not have anticipated.
“There is no evidence that Mr Smullen entered the property with the knife.”
Mr Renucci told the court: “He has recognised he has to change his ways and move on from his past life.
“He very much regrets his involvement in the death of Barry Dixon.”
He said Miss Beattie had tried to contact him in prison.
“He has no desire to reengage with Miss Beattie. He wants to re-enter society as a much different person.”
Smullen’s mother, Mary Theresa Smullen, 46, appeared in the dock with him and was ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work and given a two-year supervision order after admitting to perverting the course of justice.
She pretended to police officers the crime had been committed by Smullen’s former girlfriend Shannon Beattie, knowing her son had stabbed Mr Dixon.
Gordon Martin, solicitor advocate for Smullen’s mother, said his client – who had been released on bail – appreciated that her offence “crossed the custodial threshold, as it were”.
He said: “Had she had her life to live again, she would not have done what she did on this occasion.
“For what it’s worth, she was the one who contacted the ambulance.”
Lady Carmichael told her: “Perverting the course of justice is always a serious matter,” and “never more so” than when it relates to when somebody has been killed.
She added “thankfully”
Ms Smullen’s actions did not lead police down the wrong path for long.
Outside court, Mrs Smullen described the sentence as a good result and said she was keen to draw a line under the matter.
“It’s been a good outcome, I would say. At least it’s over and done with.”
Mr Dixon’s family had indicated before sentencing they would be launching an appeal and are campaigning for more convictions in relation to his death.
The family have also set a £50,000 fundraising target to continue their legal action.
Proposals for a 24hour mental health crisis centre in Dundee have been branded “next to worthless” by critics who say the plan lacks detail.
A new report has outlined how the much-anticipated centre would operate through a free hotline for anyone in need at any time of day. However, no location has been identified and there is also no opening date.
Dundee has the highest suicide rates in the country and such a centre was a key recommendation in a scathing independent report into Tayside’s mental health services.
Michael Marra, Scottish Labour candidate for North East Scotland, said he feels the urgency does not meet that expected by the local population.
However, Dundee City Council’s SNP leader John Alexander said he feels “truly disheartened” by the criticism and described it as “politically-driven”.
Mr Marra said: “With no date for opening and not even an estimated timescale for delivery this report is next to worthless.
“The only tangible thing promised is yet another report in October. By that point it will be three and a half years since the first minister backed Labour calls to deliver this service for Dundee.”
He added: “If this was genuinely a priority for the SNP they would be making it happen straight away. People are losing their lives and their loved ones.”
The report will be discussed at a meeting of the Integration Joint Board (IJB) of the Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership (DHSCP) on April 21.
Mr Alexander has stressed the centre will be fully operational at some point in the next year.
He said all funding has been secured and some parts of the service, such as the distress brief interventions (DBI) project, will be set up by “summer 2021”.
Perth opened a crisis centre last year and this week it launched a 24/7 service, only a year and a half after it was first proposed.
Edinburgh led the way when it opened Scotland’s first some years ago.
Scottish Conservative candidate for Dundee City West, Tess White, said people in Tayside “deserve timely personal care”.
She added: “Sadly, in recent years, acute help has been centralised, oversubscribed and understaffed because NHS Tayside haven’t had the right resources.
“A crisis centre in Dundee will save lives, as it would have done three years ago. It’s unacceptable that it’s taken so long to get the will together to make it a reality.
“In the meantime, so many Dundonians suffering a mental health crisis have been let down.”
Mr Alexander said the report should be welcomed by all.
He said: “This report is a huge step forward. It commits to the funding of a centre and sets out what will be delivered.”