HMA v Lee McAuley 2018

Mr Lee McAuley was convicted in 2017 of killing 16 year old Luke Wallace. He was convicted of the charge of culpable homicide after chasing the victim with a knife. However, Mr McAuley has now challenged the conviction at the High Court of appeal but this has been refused. However, the appellant’s sentence was successfully reduced from nine years to seven years.

In delivering the opinion of the court in relation to the Appeal it was stated: “The court is persuaded that, having regard to the youth of the appellant at the time, the sentence was excessive.” The appellant was only 17 at the time of the offence and during the Trial he was too young to be identified formally to the public.

Solicitor Advocate, Ms Ann Ogg, who appeared on behalf of the appellant in relation to the appeal stated that the appellant has no history of using and carrying offensive weapons and that he had shown a great deal of remorse in relation to the death of the victim. It was also argued on his behalf there was only one stab wound that proved to be fatal and that Mr McAuley was a first time offender.