Life sentence for "sickening" Elgin murderer

A man convicted of murdering a father during a street fight in Elgin has been jailed for life.

Jamie Nichol, 26, repeatedly stabbed Stephen Johnstone in the "sickening" attack last summer. He was found guilty by a jury at the High Court in Aberdeen yesterday.

He was also found guilty of assaulting another man at a play park in Blackburn hours before the murder.

Today, Nichol was sentenced to serve a minimum of 18 years and three months.

Lord Uist said Nichol was "intent on violence".

The judge said: "At some point about 3 am or shortly thereafter the following morning, in the course of a violent confrontation in a public street in a residential area between your group and another group you repeatedly stabbed Stephen Johnston when he was crouched down and not doing anyone any harm.

"A stab wound penetrated to a depth of 10 cm and resulted in his death.

Immediately afterwards, in what can be described only as a sickening piece of behaviour on your part, you performed some sort of weird victory dance and laughed."

Two other men have already accepted reduced charges of assault in relation to the incident.

Daniel McArthur, 21, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years. 26-year-old Dale Wilson was released as he had already spent time in jail over the event.