Killer who stabbed Iraq war hero to death gets 20 years

• Barry McGrory killed his victim with a stab wound to the heart. Picture: PA

A judge told Barry McGrory, 28, that his repeated stabbing of Scots Guardsman Paul McGee, also 28, as he lay on the ground had been a terrible act.

"He had served his country and was a valuable member of society. He was entitled to look forward to the opportunities and experiences of the life that lay before him. You took that away from him," Lord Woolman said.

Friends and relatives of the victim welcomed the sentence imposed on McGrory at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Mr McGee's girlfriend, Helen Laycock, 26, who witnessed the attack, said: "It has been absolutely devastating, this whole event. Justice has been done, but it will not bring Paul back."

Mr McGee had had tours of duty in Northern Ireland and Iraq, where his attempt to save a colleague's life in 2006 had earned him the Queen's Commendation for Bravery.

On 25 October last year, he and his girlfriend, and their mothers, Anne McGee, 54, and Ann Laycock, 59, had been at a charity night in Johnstone and returned to Lochwinnoch, both Renfrewshire, in a taxi.

The driver, John Banach, saw McGrory, of Park Ridge, Erskine, Renfrewshire, driving slowly with his fog lights on, and flashed his lights and overtook him. McGrory and his passenger, Ian Wallace, 28, from Johnstone, became enraged.

A few minutes later, the taxi drew up. Wallace then appeared and began punching the driver through the window. Mr McGee intervened to act as peacemaker, but Wallace turned on him and also assaulted the two women. Mr McGee told him: "Don't touch my mum."

Wallace was described as "deranged" and "going wild". He kept saying: "Do you know who I am? I'm Ian Wallace." He and Mr McGee fought until they lay, exhausted, on the ground.

McGrory had watched the scuffle, and he went back to the car and got a fishing knife. which he referred to as "his baby". He stabbed Mr McGee three times, and one wound penetrated the heart.

At a trial last month, Mrs McGee described cradling her injured son. She told the jury: "I said, 'It's mum. Please son, get up', … then my son died in my arms."

McGrory was found guilty of the murder. Lord Woolman told him yesterday: "This was a senseless death caused by the use of a knife. This court will not tolerate the use of sharp weapons.

"Your terrible act led to the premature and violent death of Paul McGee. His family and his girlfriend speak eloquently of their devastation at his loss. It has profoundly affected every part of their lives."

At the trial, McGrory had tried to blame Wallace for the murder, and the simmering ill-feeling between them convinced court officials to have them appear separately before Lord Woolman to be sentenced, instead of sharing the dock.

Wallace admitted four charges of assault and was jailed for 15 months. The sheriff described his actions as "mean and cowardly".