Murder victim’s family win right to sue

Relatives of a murder victim who are suing a supermarket giant for £500,000 after he was stabbed to death in a store by a work colleague have won a right to a hearing in their action.

A judge yesterday rejected a bid by Sainsbury’s to have the case brought by the family of Roman Romasov dismissed.

Lady Clark of Calton said she would allow the action to go to a hearing of evidence and added: “On the averments pled, I am certainly not persuaded the pursuers must necessarily fail at proof.” She said the claims put forward were “unusual and extreme”.

The family members claim that their loss and injury was caused by Sainsbury’s vicarious liability for the actions of its then employee, killer Robert McCulloch, under protection from harassment legislation.

McCulloch, 37, was jailed for life in 2009 after repeatedly stabbing his Lithuanian victim in an aisle at the Sainsbury’s store in Aberdeen’s Berryden Road with a knife he took from the kitchenware section.