Man killed brother by stabbing him nine times

Boan D'Arc, 60 assaulted Jamieson McLelland in the village of Thornhill, Stirling

A man has been found guilty of killing his brother, after stabbing him nine times.

Boan D'Arc, 60, assaulted Jamieson McLelland, 56, at the victim's home in the village of Thornhill, Stirling, on 6 January 2024, by repeatedly stabbing him on the body.

D'Arc, also known as Thomas McLelland, was accused of murdering his sibling but denied the crime, claiming he acted in self defence after his brother attacked him.

A jury at the High Court in Edinburgh rejected his self defence plea but convicted him of the lesser charge of culpable homicide after agreeing he had acted under provocation.

Mr McLelland, who had three grandchildren at the time of the fatal attack, was taken to hospital after the knife attack and underwent surgery to repair injuries to his bowels.

He had underlying health conditions and complications set in. He died at Forth Valley Royal Hospital, in Larbert, Stirlingshire, on 23 January last year.

'Feared for his life'

Advocate depute Eilidh Robertson told the court that the evidence demonstrated that D'Arc carried out a sustained assault on his brother. She said: "He stabbed him not once, not twice, but at least nine times."

The court heard there were injuries on the deceased that suggested he used his hands and arms to try and protect himself.

The prosecutor told jurors that the victim had used a drill in a bid to defend himself and that the account by D'Arc was "self-serving".

D'Arc, a prisoner at Low Moss jail, told police he was attacked by his brother armed with a drill and defended himself.

One officer told the court: "He said he had been in a fight with his brother Jamie, that he had been attacked by his brother who hit him in the face with a drill.

"He stated that in self defence he stabbed his brother with a knife because he feared for his life."

Severe facial injury

PC Connor Zahariev said D'Arc appeared to have a severe facial injury.

Defence counsel Gareth Jones KC said Mr McLelland was a man "who stood 6ft 1in", weighed "the best part of 30 stones" and was in possession of a power tool and used it.

He said: "He (D'Arc) said he used the knife to stab his brother in self defence to save his own life. He stopped when his brother let him go."

The court heard that Mr McLelland had returned to live in Scotland prior to his death after moving from the north of England.

The trial judge, Lord Renucci, deferred sentence on D'Arc for the preparation of a background report.

He is due to be sentenced at the High Court in Stirling on 25 July.