Killer sent video of dying teenager Kirk Allan to friends

Kirk Allan, 19, was subjected to an attack in July 2020

A man who murdered a teenager in his flat and then sent a video to friends boasting about his crime has been jailed for 19 years.

Kevin Murray, 34, turned on Kirk Allan, 19, in Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute, in the early hours of 25 July 2020.

A court heard he hit Mr Allan with a meat cleaver, choked him and activated pepper spray in his face.

Murray then recorded a chilling 45-second selfie-clip of his bound and blindfolded victim.

The High Court in Glasgow heard he later forwarded it to friends via Snapchat.

As the camera captured Mr Allan dying in the background, the killer said this was what happened when someone was "cheeky" to him.

He added: "Throw the first punch... and you are dead. Goodnight wee man."

'Evil' look

One man immediately contacted police and later became emotional as he viewed the clip again during the trial.

Murray was found wandering the streets near his home and claimed he had been playing mixed martial arts fighting.

But after being convicted of the murder he was sentenced to a minimum of 19 years by Judge Lady Stacey.

The trial heard how the pair along with another man had been playing computer games at Murray's flat.

Mr Allan later turned up at the door of his friend, Emma Willis, with Murray hours before the killing.

She had never spoken to Murray before and told prosecutor Lorraine Glancy that Murray had an "evil" look.

Ms Willis recalled: "I just got a really bad feeling. I just did not think [Kirk] should be with him.

"It was the whole dynamic. It was just very strange."

'Please look after him'

The waitress told Murray that Mr Allan was her "best friend" and added: "Please look after him."

But the teenager ended up back at Murray's home where he was subjected to an attack.

At 05:10 Murray sent the Snapchat video to several contacts.

Jamie Bailey, who had gone to school with Murray, opened the message.

The 27-year-old firefighter appeared on the verge of tears as he viewed the clip again from the witness box.

He told the jury: "I just remember seeing someone lying on the floor. He did not look conscious.

"I sat on the couch and the severity of what happened set in. I dialled 999."

Jamie Hamilton, 31, also received the clip and was left "shocked" and "upset".

Another man said he was a friend of Mr Allan's brother, Chris, who had been concerned about his sibling that night.

'Calm and compliant'

Police found a "calm and compliant" Murray walking in the street at about 06:30.

He handed over his phone which still had the video stored on it.

PC Ross Easton told the trial: "We asked: 'Who is that?'

He said: 'That's Kirk Allan. We were MMA play-fighting and things got out of hand'."

Murray also said pepper spray had been used. Police went on to find a meat cleaver in his jeans.

Officers later discovered Mr Allan's body in his killer's flat.

The cause of death included blunt force head trauma and asphyxia.