Scottish brothers killed young man in his own home

Two brothers were today jailed for the brutal killing of a 29-year-old man in his own home.

Barry Harrison, 44, who admitted murdering Kyle Watt at his flat in Pine Grove, Alloa, Clackmannanshire, on March, was jailed for life and ordered to serve at least 17 years behind bars.

His brother Mark Harrison, 36, was found guilty after trial of the culpable homicide of Mr Watt. He was jailed for 10 years.

Read More
Theresa May leadership challenge Recap: Prime Minister wins confidence vote
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

As murderer Barry Harrison was led away to begin his sentence he waved to his family in the public benches.

Yesterday at the High Court in Glasgow judge Lord Brailsford told Barry Harrison: “You pled guilty to murder. You accept responsibility for the death of Kyle Watt, known as Pie. He was brutally murdered in his own home. The family of Mr Watt are clearly devastated, as are those who knew him.”

Lord Brailsford told Barry Harrison it will be up to the Parole Board to decide when he is released.

He told his brother: “You were convicted of the lesser charge of culpable homicide. You have shown regret and sadness at the role you played in ending a young man’s life.”

Both brothers, who are from Alloa, have previous convictions for violence.

Barry Harrison, who was celebrating his birthday took offence when Mr Watt refused to sell him Valium on tick and ‘disrespected’ him.

He and his brother Mark were caught on CCTV entering the close to the flat . Mr Watt was seen on video running from his home, then being knocked to the ground with a baseball bat by Mark Harrison, before Barry Harrison, who had a knife, dragged him back into the flat.

Mr Watt’s partner Jenna Burns ran out in the street barefoot in a snowstorm for help.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The High Court in Glasgow heard that Mr Watt was stabbed in the chest – an injury which cut through his spinal cord – and in the leg, which severed two main blood vessels.

He was also hit repeatedly over the head with a baseball bat.

Forensic scientists found Mr Watt’s blood on Mark Harrison’s jogging trousers and his left trainer.

In evidence Barry Harrison said: “I deserve what happens to me. It was the biggest mistake of my life.”

Barry Harrison said that Mr Watt had refused to sell him Valium on tick and had been ‘disrespectful.”

He claimed that his brother Mark Harrison had nothing to do with the killing. He said that he stabbed Mr Watt twice and hit him two or three times with a baseball bat.

But the jury did not believe him and they convicted Mark Harrison, who was originally accused of murder of the reduced charge of culpable homicide.

Solicitor advocate Gordon Martin, representing Barry Harrison, said: “He says he is still coming to terms with what he did that night. For what it is worth he sorry for what happened and he regrets it.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Keith Stewart QC, representing Mark Harrison, said: “The reason he went to Mr Watt’s home that night was to speak to his former partner whom he believed was there.”

The court was told Mark Harrison worked in construction and had helped as a volunteer to renovate an orphanage in Bulgaria.