Brothers jailed for knife attack on mother’s partner

TWO brothers who took the law into their own hands and attacked their mother’s partner, believing he had assaulted her, have each been jailed for four years.

Christopher McLaughlin, 26, and Darren McLaughlin, 23, repeatedly stabbed Kevin McCartney, 48, after confronting him at his home in Alexandria, Dunbartonshire. He survived the wounds, but died in hospital after “catastrophic” medical treatment.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that the brothers thought Mr McCartney had caused marks on their mother’s neck, and went to his flat. They were unarmed, but knives became involved and Mr McCartney sustained 13 injuries to his chest and back.

He was taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, where a perforation of the bowel was not detected. Then, after transfer to the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow, an “inappropriate” chest drain was inserted and he collapsed and died within minutes.

The brothers, of Alexandria, were originally accused with their mother, Isobel McLaughlin, of murdering Mr McCartney in October 2010, but all had not guilty pleas accepted by the Crown. The men admitted a charge of attempted murder, and their mother was released.

Lady Stacey told the men that they had started a chain of events which led to the loss of Mr McCartney’s life.

“You both know very well you should have contacted the police if you were concerned for your mother. You should not have taken the law into your own hands,” said the judge.

Lady Stacey said both accused were first offenders, but the level of violence they had used was extreme. She ordered that they be supervised for two years after their jail terms.