A Glasgow man was jailed for life after stabbing a neighbour to death over an argument about his daughter’s tablet. Mr O’Neill inflicted 25 knife wounds on his neighbour. Darren O’Neill, 34, was ordered to serve at least 17 years for murdering Mr Quail at a house in Johnstone in February. Mr Quail, 42, was found dead in the hall of his house. The Advocate Depute prosecuting the case said: “He told (his girlfriend) that ‘Quaily’ wanted to see their daughter’s computer tablet and that ‘He was trying to take Ava’s tablet’ which resulted in his death.
There was a self-defence claim as O’Neill said that Mr Quail had gone into the kitchen and returned with a knife and tried to stab him. The defence solicitor argued: “The accused’s position is that he did not intend to kill Mr Quail.” However, the accused did pled guilty to murder and was given a discounted sentence accordingly. At the High Court in Edinburgh, judge Lady Scott in sentenced the accused said: “On any view this was a ferocious and merciless attack. The attack upon your victim was excessive, cruel and murderous.” However, Lady Scott added that did she accept O’Neill was not the instigator of the incident at the outset.