Three found guilty of ‘depraved’ killing of oil worker

Two men and a woman have been found guilty of killing a man in a nature reserve in what a judge described as a “savage and depraved murder”.

Steven Donaldson.

Steven Donaldson, a “loving and respected” oil worker from Arbroath, was repeatedly attacked with a weapon like a sword, machete, cleaver, or axe after arranging to meet his ex-girlfriend Tasmin Glass in Angus in June last year.

The 27-year-old died from injuries to his spinal cord in what the detective who led the investigation said was “one of the most brutal attacks” he had ever encountered.

Steven Dickie and Callum Davidson, both 24, were yesterday convicted at the High Court in Edinburgh of Mr Donaldson’s murder. Glass, 20, was convicted of culpable homicide.

A jury took nine hours to deliberate following a four-week trial, which heard in graphic detail how Mr Donaldson was killed.

The attack began at the Peter Pan play park in the Kirrie Hill area of Angus. Mr Donaldson’s body was later recovered at the Loch of Kinnordy nature reserve in Kirriemuir.

He had suffered 26 stab wounds and his spinal cord had been severed in two places.

The court heard from forensic scientist Sarah Milne that a blood stain found on a T-shirt belonging to Davidson matched the DNA of Mr Donaldson.

Police Scotland’s Detective Chief Inspector Andy Patrick said Mr Donaldson had gone to the meeting with Glass in the belief they would resolve their relationship difficulties, and to possibly retrieve some of his personal belongings.

But, he explained, Mr Donaldson had been “lured” to the meeting place.

“He was met with two individuals who assaulted him right from the very start,” he said.

“A frenzied attack took place and he was then taken to Kinnordy Estate where the attack continued up to his death.”

DCI Patrick said Glass was at the centre of a love triangle involving her co-accused Dickie and their victim.

He said the killing “could not have happened” without Glass setting it up, adding: “From an early stage we identified that Tasmin Glass played a key role assisted by Steven Dickie and Callum Davidson.

“You can see from the collusion of the three people that it has been a planned attack.”

Judge Lord Pentland told Dickie and Davidson: “You both stand convicted of the savage and depraved murder of Steven Andrew Donaldson, a loved and respected young man who had done neither of you any harm.”

He told Glass: “You stand convicted of what is on any view an extremely serious offence of culpable homicide.”