MURDER TRIAL

Two Glasgow brothers and schoolboy admit brutally killing Daniel ‘Zippy’ McGuigan in Castlemilk axe and knife attack

TWO brothers and a 15-year-old today admitted killing a gardener after arming themselves with a knife, an axe and a piece of wood.

At the High Court in Glasgow, David Brookhouse, 38, and his brother John Brookhouse, 35, pled guilty to murdering 35-year-old Daniel McGuigan at Stravanan Street, Glasgow, on May 24 2019.

The 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pled guilty to the reduced charge of the culpable homicide of Mr McGuigan.

The court heard that the killers struck as Mr McGuigan was having his morning tea break.

Prosecutor Bill McVicar said: “Mr McGuigan lived with his fiancee and he was due to marry her in October 2020. He worked for Caledonian Maintenance Service and was working in Castlemilk, carrying out garden maintenance with four colleagues.”

The court heard that their was bad feeling between the Brookhouse brothers and Mr McGuigan and there had been verbal rows between them – the most recent two weeks prior to the killing.

The brothers saw Mr McGuigan and David Brookhouse said to his brother: “Let's do that c***," and then added: “Let's get the tools”

David Brookhouse grabbed a knife from the kitchen and his brother picked up an axe.

They left the house after 10am looking for Mr McGuigan and were then joined by the teenager – who was 14 at the time – armed with a piece of wood.

The brothers saw Mr McGuigan at his works van and ran towards him. John Brookhouse raised the axe and struck Mr McGuigan with it, while his brother repeatedly stabbed him.

Mr McGuigan tried to defend himself by throwing a leaf blower at John Brookhouse and tried to flee.

“Let's do that c***. Let's get the tools”David Brookhouse

The brothers, from Glasgow, chased him and were joined by the schoolboy who hit Mr McGuigan with a piece of wood.

Mr McGuigan was shouting and screaming and members of the public shouted at the three accused to leave him alone.

The three accused left and Mr McGuigan lay dying in the street. He was conscious, but not responsive. He died at 11.29am.

Mr McGuigan, known locally as 'Zippy', was stabbed three times. The fatal wound pierced his heart and caused massive bleeding.

Mr McVicar said: “The force used was such that the blade of the knife broke.”

David Brookhouse has previous convictions for violence and the use of weapons. John has a number of convictions for violence. The teenager has no previous convictions.

The brothers were remanded in custody and the 15-year-old was granted bail.

All three will be sentenced by judge Lady Scott in Edinburgh on March 16.

The family of Mr McGuigan were not allowed into the court to see his killers or hear a narration of the facts in the case.

Lady Scott closed the court to the public because one of the accused is 15.