Pair jailed for murder of stranger in botched robbery

Two men have been jailed for the murder of a stranger in Renfrew in a street robbery “gone wrong”.

James Cook, 49, and Brian Reilly, 37, admitted the attack on Alastair Campbell near his home in the early hours of 30 October 2023.

Mr Campbell, 52, suffered a fatal stab wound to the abdomen and was found by a friend lying at the front door of his flat and covered in blood.

At the High Court in Glasgow, Cook was jailed for a minimum of 16 years and eight months, and Reilly 15 years and nine months.

The court heard that both men had lengthy criminal records.

The killing was Cook’s fifth High Court conviction, including a previous prison-term for attempted murder.

Reilly also had a violent past featuring offences involving a knife.

Cook’s KC Brian McConnachie said the murder was “a robbery gone terribly, badly wrong.”

Gary Allan KC, defending Reilly, said he was driven by a need to service a drug and drink condition.”

Mr Campbell had been at a flat in Renfrew that night, and left with a friend to walk home.

The killers had been coming and going that night from the home of Reilly’s girlfriend in the town.

At some stage, Cook and Reilly ended up following Mr Campbell.

CCTV footage showed the pair catching up with Mr Campbell in the town’s Renfield Street and carrying out a violent assault.

Cook hit the victim on the head with a knife, before kicking and stamping on his body as he lay on the ground.

Reilly rifled his pockets and Cook used a bottle to hit Mr Campbell on the head.

Mr Campbell managing to get up and head to his home, where a friend later found him collapsed at his door.

Paramedics were called but could not revive him. Reilly and Cook were later arrested separately.

Jailing the pair, Lord Harrower told the killers the assault was vicious and cowardly and had caused “terrible devastation” on Mr Campbell’s family.