Billy Joe Bates: Man jailed for killing relative and fleeing to Europe
- Published
Billy Joe Bates died in hospital four days after he was found in a Glasgow street
A killer who fled to Europe after stabbing a relative to death has been jailed for more than six years.
Dean Ferguson fatally wounded Billy Joe Bates, 28, during a confrontation in Milton, Glasgow, on 18 November 2018.
Mr Bates, who was described as Ferguson's second cousin, died in hospital four days after the attack.
Detectives later discovered encrypted phone messages that linked Ferguson, 30, to the crime, including boasts of how he had left the country.
Ferguson had been due to stand trial at the High Court in Glasgow for the murder of Mr Bates.
But, via his lawyer Donald Findlay KC, he pleaded guilty in November to the reduced charge of culpable homicide.
Judge Lord Clark, told him: "You have expressed remorse for the tragic consequences of your actions.
"This was not premeditated - it was spontaneous in response to a fear of an assault."
The judge - who sentenced Ferguson to six years and four months in prison - added that he had taken account of the victim impact statement from Mr Bates' mother.
He told him: "She explained in her deeply moving words of the consequences this has had on the family.
"There is no sentence I can impose which will begin to relieve that grief."
The trial took place at the High Court in Glasgow
Prosecutor John Keenan KC told an earlier hearing how the exact details of the incident "cannot be determined", but that there had been "no history of animosity" between the men.
The court heard how the pair spent the morning of the attack together before going separate ways.
Mr Keenan: "They then came together around 2.30pm and a violent confrontation ensued.
"Ferguson sustained a head injury and Billy Joe Bates sustained a number of injuries including a fatal deep stab wound to the chest."
Ferguson was admitted to Glasgow Royal Infirmary around the same time as Mr Bates.
He was initially identified as a "potential suspect"
Detectives then began to trawl through CCTV to try and discover what happened.
Footage showed Ferguson, the victim and another man going to a flat in the city's Maryhill early on 18 November.
'Angry and agitated'
Ferguson had been described as "angry and agitated" while there.
The men all left but Mr Bates came back to collect his phone and told a witness that he had "fallen out" with Ferguson.
The men then all ended up at the flat in Milton where the killing occurred.
Mr Keenan stated that neighbours recalled hearing "raised male voices" and one said there was a "shout of pain or cry for help".
The man with Ferguson and Mr Bates made a 999 call at 14:33.
Mr Bates was taken to hospital, but the court heard he was "unable to state what had happened".
The stab wound was found to have punctured his right liver causing internal bleeding.
He never recovered and died on 22 November 2018.
EncroChat phone network
While at the same hospital, Ferguson claimed his own injuries had occurred by falling on glass.
He later discharged himself and, despite efforts to trace him, he was not found at that time.
The French and Dutch law authorities later went on to smash the EncroChat phone network favoured by criminals.
Encrypted messages linked to Ferguson were uncovered and helped identify him as the assailant.
He had not previously been arrested due to a lack of evidence and his "whereabouts unknown" at the time.
A request was made to the Dutch authorities and he was extradited on 4 May 2022.
Mr Findlay told Monday's sentencing hearing: "An incident occurred in which responsibility can be held at the door of each and tragic consequences followed.
"Clearly there was no long running feud - it was not something that needed to happen and should not have `happened."