Jail for man who killed friend in Abroath drugs row

Jackie Doig has been jailed for 10 years

A man who chased a friend and fatally stabbed him in a row over drugs has been jailed for 10 years.

Jackie Doig, 42, was found guilty of the culpable homicide of Frankie Melvin in Arbroath, following a trial at the High Court in Dundee last month.

Doig had faced a murder charge, but he claimed he had stabbed his former friend five times in self defence.

Judge Lady Drummond told Doig his actions had had a "devastating impact" on his victim's mother and his sons.

The court was told he knifed 34-year-old Mr Melvin in the buttocks in August 2020, causing the injury which led to his death a short time later.

• Man guilty of stabbing friend to death over drugs

Giving evidence at his trial, Doig claimed his victim had stolen four bags of drugs from him.

He told the jury he had been provoked and said: "If it wasn't him, it would have been me."

Lost temper

Sentencing, Lady Drummond said they fell out over a "relatively trivial matter" when Mr Melvin put a knife to Doig's throat.

"You were enraged by Mr Melvin and you lost your temper," she added. "You struggled with him and picked up the knife from the ground and stabbed him.

"One of the cuts was through an artery. You then pursued him through the streets. He sought sanctuary at a friend's house where he collapsed and died.

"I take account of the victim impact statement from Mr Melvin's mother, which tells of the devastating impact on her and his sons."

She noted Doig had a number of previous convictions for violence, including a knife attacks, and was considered by social workers to pose "a high risk to public safety."