Killer stabbed man who tried to defend his ex-partner in Edinburgh
- Published
Charles Paul, a hotel porter, had gone to visit his late friend's daughter to celebrate a win at the horse racing
A man murdered a hotel porter who tried to stop him attacking his ex-partner.
Sam Atkins, 29, admitted stabbing Charles Paul, 69, at least 22 times at a flat in Granton Crescent, Edinburgh, on 25 March.
The High Court in Glasgow heard he flew into a rage after Raehanna Cameron, the daughter of Mr Paul's late friend, ended her relationship with him.
The judge, Lord Clark, told Atkins: "This was an act of appalling brutality."
Atkins further admitted to two charges of assaulting Ms Cameron to the danger of her life.
Mr Paul had gone to visit her to celebrate a win at the horse racing.
But Atkins sneaked into the flat and turned on both of them.
The court heard how Atkins and Ms Cameron got together in January 2022, but she ended up feeling "unsafe" around him.
Towards the end of last year she wanted to end the relationship but prosecutor Kath Harper said Atkins "did not take this well".
He assaulted her shortly before the fatal attack on Mr Paul.
In a text after the assault, he said: "I need help and I need it urgently before I hurt someone else or myself preferably.
"I am not a monster, but there seems to be one attached to me."
On the day of the murder, Ms Cameron left Atkins' stuff outside her flat.
Meanwhile, Mr Paul called her to say he would come round to celebrate winning a few bets.
He knew her father and had promised the man that he would look after his daughter before he died.
But while they were both in the flat, Atkins crept in and Ms Cameron found him in the hallway holding two knives.
In a bid to escape she locked herself in a bedroom.
Begged for help
Miss Harper said: "He was shouting this was all her fault because she had left him and that he loved her."
Ms Cameron managed to dial 999 and begged for help during the call.
She cried at one stage: "He had already stabbed me and I do not know if he has stabbed my mate or not."
The court was told Mr Paul could be heard "trying to reason" with Atkins urging him to "calm down".
Miss Harper added: "Things then became quiet and Atkins shouted through the door that he had "knocked Charlie out".
Police arrived as Atkins jumped out of the second floor window.
Officers found Mr Paul, of Leith, Edinburgh, unresponsive and in a pool of blood in a bedroom.
The court heard how the victim was described as a "kind and gentle man" by those who knew him.
He had a close relationship with his step-daughters even after splitting from their mother in 2001.
It also emerged that Atkins already had previous convictions for violence.
Lord Clark deferred sentencing for reports.
He told Atkins: "You have pleaded guilty to three extremely serious acts of violence."
- Published4 April 2023
