Convicted killer murders 65-year old man in the street by stabbing him 15 times with scissors

zainab quadri

October 14, 2015 3:45 PM

A convicted killer murdered a 65-year old in the street by stabbing him 15 times with a pair of scissors in an unprovoked attack less than a year after being freed from a life sentence.

Steven Ryan, 43, (pictured) fatally stabbed complete stranger Gordon Murphy, 65, 15 times with a scissor blade in a frenzied and unprovoked attack

A convicted killer murdered a 65-year old in the street by stabbing him 15 times with a pair of scissors in an unprovoked attack less than a year after being freed from a life sentence.

Steven Ryan, 43, of Glasgow, stabbed complete stranger Gordon Murphy, 65, with a scissor blade in a frenzied and unprovoked attack last December.

As the 65 year-old lay dying in the street close to his home, Ryan calmly walked away and went on to buy drugs he claimed boosted his 'sexual prowess'.

He gave evidence during the trial and denied being the killer, and instead claimed he only became involved after he spotted a fight taking place over the road.

'I saw him slumped across a hedge'

Ryan told the court: 'I bent down and asked if he was OK. I could see a lot of blood on his chest. I kind of panicked.'

However, a post mortem examination revealed Mr Murphy died after one of the blows with the blade struck his heart. It also found signs that he had tried to defend himself from the frenzied attack.

Mr Prentice, the defense lawyer told the court: 'Mr Murphy lived alone and was employed by G4S as a security guard.

'He has been described as a quiet, unassuming man, who kept himself to himself and enjoyed a pint with close friends.'

Mr Prentice told the court Ryan had been freed from prison in late January 2014, but went on to kill again just 11 months later.

Ryan was aged just 21 when he killed lawyer Marshall Stormonth in a crime that shocked Scotland.

Along with his then 17-year-old brother Dean, he strangled the fiscal with a tie and belt before stealing the dead man's bank card, keys and money.

Mr Stormonth's home in Glasgow's North Kelvinside was then set on fire with his body inside.

A jury at the time heard Ryan told a witness he and his brother had met the gay fiscal in a bar and pretended to also be gay in order to go home with him and rob him.

He will now serve at least another 25 years in jail.

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