Michael Joyce, 33, was sentenced to at least 16 years in prison for the brutal murder of 61-year-old Michael White in Kyle of Lochalsh in April 2023. 

Joyce was convicted of repeatedly striking White, causing fatal blunt force trauma, and was also found to have attempted to cover up the crime by changing clothes and disposing of items. 

White, described as a kind and vulnerable man, had suffered from emaciation, heart disease, and peritonitis, which contributed to his death. 

Joyce’s partner, Antonia Gunn, was acquitted of involvement, and other charges, including human trafficking, were dropped. 

Despite Joyce continuing to deny responsibility, forensic evidence and witness testimony revealed the extent of his violence toward White. 

Judge Lady Poole condemned Joyce’s actions as “utterly abhorrent,” and noted that had White received medical attention sooner, he might have survived.