Ayr building firm boss killed worker with cable ties
- Published
Michael Thomson was killed with cable ties at Style Builders where he worked
A building firm boss has been jailed for a minimum of 21 years after killing one of his workers with cable ties.
George McMillan choked Michael Thomson, 46, to death at his business in Ayr in July 2020 before dumping his body in a car in lay-by.
The High Court in Glasgow heard that McMillan, 56, thought his victim was going to report him to police over his involvement in a cannabis farm.
The judge said it was "a pre-meditated murder of the most callous kind".
Former soldier McMillan was also convicted of attempting to defeat the ends of justice and cannabis supply.
It emerged that he had a lengthy history of violence and drug crimes.
The court heard how a large-scale cannabis factory had been set up in a York Street unit next to where McMillan's Style Builders firm was based.
McMillan was said to be a "trusted member" of those involved in the drug farm.
Police carried out a raid there on 11 June 2020 - weeks before the murder.
Threat to freedom
McMillan was due to be questioned by detectives in late July but a plan was hatched to "foist blame" on Mr Thomson.
However, McMillan later discovered that his worker had threatened to "shop him" for the cannabis cultivation.
Prosecutor Euan Cameron said: "He was so angry he looked as if his eyes would pop out."
The advocate depute said Mr Thomson had gone from a person McMillan could "exploit" to becoming a "threat" to his freedom.
At the business premises on the night of 24 July, McMillan used cable ties to strangle Mr Thomson before dumping his body in the back of the Ford Fiesta.
Just after midnight, he drove to the lay-by between the Holmston and Whitletts roundabouts in Ayrshire where he left the car containing the body.
Michael Thomson's body was found in a car on the A77 near Dalmilling Golf course
It is thought he planned to travel further afield, but feared the Ford was going to break down.
After going back to Ayr, he changed his clothes and tried to delete footage from his firm's CCTV.
The court heard how McMillan returned to the area a number of times in his flat-bed truck - although he told jurors he was only out checking if a light was working in the vehicle.
Mr Thomson's body was discovered in the car later that day.
Suicide letter
McMillan had told his partner Caroline Williamson that he had received a suicide letter Mr Thomson had apparently written before his death.
However, she told the court it had a lot of spelling and grammatical errors and she knew the victim to be more articulate.
McMillan denied the charges and had lodged a claim of alibi for the murder.
He insisted he had not been in Mr Thomson's car and had been out walking a dog around that time.
It emerged he had four previous high court convictions, including a six-year jail term for drug dealing.