Teenager stabbed man to death in Perth before fleeing scene and changing clothes

A teenage killer is facing a life sentence today after murdering a young man in a vicious knife attack.

Caleb Ferguson, 20, stabbed Cameron Rae three times in his torso with one wound causing fatal internal damage.

Ferguson, then aged 18, fled from a flat where the murder took place into the streets of Perth before turning up hours later wearing a change of clothes at Arbroath police station, claiming he had been on a night out in the Angus town and was needing help to get back to Perth.

Ferguson had denied murdering Mr Rae, 20, on April 8 last year at a flat in South Methven Street by repeatedly striking him on the body with a knife but was found guilty of the crime.

At the outset of a trial, he admitted he killed the victim and offered to plead guilty to the lesser crime of culpable homicide, but the Crown rejected his plea.

After a jury at the High Court in Edinburgh returned a verdict of guilty to the murder charge, one woman in the public benches shouted “brilliant” and clapping briefly broke out.

Following Ferguson’s conviction, the trial judge, Lord Scott, told him that the law provided for only one sentence, and a life sentence would be imposed.

The judge said he was also required to fix a minimum term, known as a punishment part, that Ferguson will serve before he becomes eligible to seek parole.

He added: “Inevitably, that will be a substantial period.”

Lord Scott told jurors that it was “a tragic case” and that there was appeal court authority that indicated a starting point for such cases would be something like 16 years.

The court heard that after the fatal attack, Ferguson told his sister in a phone call that he had “plugged f— out of Cameron Rae”.

One witness told the court that earlier in the day, he was at a bar in Perth with others watching an Old Firm game, and Ferguson joined them before he and Ferguson went to the flat to continue drinking.

On a trip out of the flat, he came across Mr Rae, who had been drinking, and invited him back to the flat.

Mr Kelly said that at one point, he left Ferguson and Mr Rae in the flat as he went to carry out a drug deal and returned to find Mr Rae injured and Ferguson looking angry.

Advocate depute Greg Farrell told jurors: “Caleb Ferguson said something about Cammy having called his dad a junkie, and that appears to be the only explanation offered by Caleb Ferguson as to why he stabbed Cameron Rae to death.”

The prosecutor said: “The evidence in this case shows a murderous attack demonstrating that the accused Caleb Ferguson either intended to kill Callum Rae or was wickedly reckless as to whether Callum Rae lived or died.”

Detective Inspector Scott Carswell said: “Cameron was a young man when his life was ended by the violent actions of Caleb Ferguson, who will now face the consequences of his deplorable actions.

“This incident was felt by the whole community in Perth, and our thoughts remain with Cameron’s family all those that knew him.

“Violence has a significant and long-lasting impact on the local area and it will not be tolerated in any form. We are committed to making our communities safer and take a zero-tolerance approach to offensive weapon and knife crime.

“I’d urge anyone who has information in relation to offensive weapons or knife crime to contact us. Information from the public is vital in helping us crackdown on violent crime.”

Ferguson is due to be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on November 6.