Man jailed for fatal doorstep stabbing in Bellshill

Samuel Hamilton was stabbed outside his house in May 2022

A convicted rapist who stabbed a man to death on his doorstep has been jailed for life.

Richard Wotherspoon had been convicted of the murder of Samuel Hamilton, 56, in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, in May last year.

The 33-year-old was released from jail just weeks before he repeatedly stabbed the victim - who had spent the evening watching Rangers in a European final.

Wotherspoon was given at least 17 years in jail at the High Court in Edinburgh.

The court heard he had 33 previous convictions, including for rape in 2006.

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Lord Armstrong said Wotherspoon was assessed to be at maximum risk of re-offending and posed a serious risk of harm to others.

He added Wotherspoon's actions had caused "devastating loss and emotional harm" to relatives of the victim.

He told him that he would have set a 20-year sentence - the minimum term to be served before a murderer can seek release on parole - if he was convicted after a trial, but the time would be reduced following his earlier guilty plea.

Richard Wotherspoon admitted the murder at the High Court in Glasgow

Wotherspoon, a prisoner at Addiewell jail in West Lothian, admitted assaulting and murdering Mr Hamilton on 18 May last year at Thorndean Avenue, in Bellshill.

He followed him into a garden at the address and to the front door, shouted and swore at him, made threats and repeatedly struck him on the head, neck and body with the knife.

The court heard that there was a previous incident in 2021 between Mr Hamilton and Wotherspoon outside the home of the victim's daughter and Wotherspoon had later needed hospital treatment.

He later returned to Mr Hamilton's daughter's house armed with an axe, leading to an 18-month prison sentence in April 2022.

'Premeditated'

However, the term was backdated to when Wotherspoon was first remanded, meaning he was freed immediately.

In the weeks before the murder, he was seen in Mr Hamilton's street and told a number of people that he "intended to harm" him.

The judge told Wotherspoon: "This crime was premeditated by you. You went out looking for your victim armed with a knife and with the intention of causing him injury.

"You had previously told others of your intention to do him harm."