Samurai sword murderer caught with blood-spattered 'forensic suit'

Published on Thursday 24 September 2009 22:13

A MAN who wore a "forensic suit" to commit murder was caught when police found him walking along the street carrying the garment covered in his victim's blood.

Andrew Smith, 28, had gone in the dead of night to his drugs supplier's home armed with a samurai sword to settle a score.

His attempt to make sure he did not leave any evidence, by wearing the white disposable paper suit, backfired when he was seen by police near the scene with the rolled-up suit under his arm.

Smith, of Kirkcaldy, Fife, was jailed for life yesterday and ordered to serve at least 15 years for murdering Alan Cruickshank, 55, in the early hours of 5 April.

James Crawford, 29, also of Kirkcaldy, who took part in the "vicious and violent" attack and beat Mr Cruickshank with a baton, was jailed for 11 years and six months for culpable homicide.

The High Court in Edinburgh was told that Mr Cruickshank, of Kirkcaldy, had supplied drugs to Smith, who ran up a debt to him of thousands of pounds. Mr Cruickshank, described as a man with a fearsome reputation, was said to have issued threats to Smith and his family.

At about 5am, Smith and Crawford, with two dogs, a pit bull terrier and a Doberman, went to Mr Cruickshank's home. Smith put on the paper suit and was still wearing it when he was seen leaving a short time later by a neighbour, who had been alerted by the sound of dogs barking.

Police were called and found Mr Cruickshank's body in his bed. A few minutes later, officers saw Smith in the street near his home. He had the paper suit rolled up under his arm, and the Samurai sword was discovered in an adjacent driveway.

Advocate-depute John Scullion said Mr Cruickshank had suffered several stab wounds, one of which struck his aorta, causing massive internal bleeding and rapid death. He had also been struck repeated blows to the face and arm, causing multiple fractures.

Smith told detectives he had not thought it was going to be so extreme, and that things had gone badly wrong. "Can I plead insanity 'cos I was a bit out of my face with coke?" he asked, the court heard.

Edgar Prais QC, for Crawford, said his client had no issue with Mr Cruickshank, but he had been drinking and foolishly went with Smith.

Judge Kenneth Maciver said he accepted that violence towards Mr Cruickshank, not killing him, had been contemplated, but he was an older man, alone and asleep in his home, and the degree of violence used in cold blood was "extreme and brutal."

Smith's minimum term would have been 17 years, but it will be discounted because he pleaded guilty to the murder charge.

Mr Maciver said Crawford's attack, while not causing death, had been vicious and violent. His guilty plea meant a reduction of 18 months from a sentence of 13 years.