Teen killed his brother after saving his life

A TEENAGER who saved his brother's life one night and then killed him the next has been jailed for four years and three months.

Dean Haddow punched and kicked his 32-year-old half brother Stephen Gormley to death the day after he resuscitated him when he became unwell and stopped breathing.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that the 17-year-old, who lived with Mr Gormley, followed instructions from 999 operators until paramedics arrived on 25 April last year.

But the following night, grieving father Haddow attacked and killed Mr Gormley after he made comments about his dead baby.

Sentencing Haddow yesterday, Judge Lord Matthews said: "This is a very tragic case involving the death of your half brother, a young man with whom you had formed a good relationship. No words I say or sentence I pass will ever change that."

At an earlier hearing, Haddow admitted the culpable homicide of Mr Gormley at a flat in Main Street, Cambuslang, on 26 April last year. He was originally charged with murder, but his plea of guilty to a reduced charge was accepted by the Crown.

Advocate depute Bruce Erroch, prosecuting, told the court the brothers had been arguing.

Mr Erroch said: "The catalyst appears to have been remarks made by Mr Gormley about Mr Haddow having fathered a child who was now dead and other derogatory remarks.

"Mr Haddow punched Mr Gormley, who was sitting in a chair, several times on the face, causing him to fall to the ground."

The court was told Haddow then kicked Mr Gormley several times in the face. Mr Gormley did not fight back, but tried to cover his head with his hands.

Mr Gormley was no longer moving or speaking and Haddow left the flat, leaving his brother lying in a pool of blood.

The court was told Mr Gormley was taken to the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow, where he died on 4 May.