Man jailed for murdering neighbour in garden attack

The body of Daniel Greer was discovered by his father, two days after he was murdered

A man who murdered his neighbour in North Lanarkshire has been jailed for a minimum of 21 years.

Nicholas Henry hit Daniel Greer, 33, with a shovel and stabbed him nine times during the garden attack in Airdrie on 17 October 2020.

The killer then dragged Mr Greer's body back into the victim's home where his father found him two days later.

Henry, who was convicted following a trial last month, was jailed for life at the High Court in Glasgow.

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He had previously been sentenced to 12 years in 2011 for trying to kill a man in an attack which almost severed the victim's hand.

During the murder trial the jury heard from another neighbour of the men, who saw Henry assaulting Mr Greer.

Jennifer Watterson told jurors: "I saw Nicholas in my garden with Daniel, who had his hand on his head saying 'leave me, leave me'."

The witness added Henry swore at his victim and told him to get up.

Nicholas Henry left his victim to die after the savage attack

Ms Watterson said she then saw Henry strike Mr Greer with a shovel and stamp on him.

Before she closed her blinds she watched the killer drag his victim away.

Henry went on to ditch the knife in a nearby field.

Lynsey Mulherron, whose sister was in a relationship with Henry at the time, later spoke to him about Mr Greer.

Henry told her: "Don't worry. You will not be seeing him again. He is gone."

The body was discovered on Rankin Crescent

In his closing speech, prosecutor Euan Cameron said Henry had repeatedly knifed Mr Greer on the neck, chest, stomach and back.

The victim also suffered multiple bruises and a bleed to the brain.

Mr Cameron added: "He struck him with such a force that the knife left a notch in one of his ribs and cut open a vein in his liver.

"Henry took him back to his home where he left him to bleed to death."

In his evidence, Henry denied murder and claimed he had been defending himself against an allegedly armed Mr Greer.