Mother gives son's photo to family of killer who cut off ear

Published on Friday 24 April 2009 22:20

A GRIEVING mother gave a photograph of her dead son to his killer's family yesterday, just before the man was jailed for at least 14 years for murder.

Stuart McKelvie, 27, stripped, beat and stabbed James Taylor, 29, and cut off his ear for a memento. He then poured petrol on him and set him alight.

At the High Court in Edinburgh judge Lord Kinclaven imposed a mandatory life sentence on McKelvie for the "vicious" killing, and said he would serve at least 14 years before he could apply for parole. It would have been 18 years if he had not pleaded guilty, the judge said .

Mr Taylor's mother, Maureen Taylor, 53, said: "I gave them a photo of Jimmy to let them see what he had done."

The court heard that Mr Taylor, from Wester Hailes, Edinburgh, and McKelvie and his girlfriend, Fiona McKay, 42, of Hailesland Gardens, also Wester Hailes, all belonged to the drugs community. On 17 October 2008, Mr Taylor was released from prison, where he had been serving a two-year sentence for housebreaking, and spent the night at the couple's flat.

The following day, they went by train to Lanarkshire. The group was last seen, drunk, at Nethan Street, Motherwell, and Mr Taylor's body was discovered in woodland nearby a day later.

McKay had faced a murder charge but the prosecution accepted a guilty plea to assault. Lord Kinclaven jailed her for 18 months.

Stuart McKelvie's brother, Christopher, was originally also charged with murder but his not guilty plea was accepted by the Crown.