Police ScotlandA former music student guilty of stabbing a friend to death has been jailed for eight years.
Francis McConnachie fatally attacked friend Thomas O’Rourke, 21, after a row between the pair in their hometown of Wishaw on February 24, 2023.
The 36-year-old had denied murdering Thomas, who was knifed four times. He had claimed self-defence.
McConnachie was sentenced by judge Lord Arthurson at the High Court in Glasgow on Monday.
He had previously been convicted of the reduced charge of culpable homicide while acting under provocation following a trial.
Jurors heard how the pair had ended up in McConnachie’s home that day after the killer returned from walking his dad’s dog.
He described the atmosphere as initially “good” between them before a row then broke out, leading to McConnachie ordering his friend to leave.
The killer claimed Thomas went on to make threats to him and his brother before he left.
McConnachie said: “I basically went after him.”
The court heard the pair had a “stand-up fight” out in the street before McConnachie was pulled away. Both then returned to their homes.
However, McConnachie said he heard Thomas back outside shouting and left his property again.
He claimed Thomas was armed with a knife. McConnachie said he told him: “You do not stab your pals.”
The killer stated he was “in disbelief”, but he managed to grab hold of Thomas.
The court heard there was a “big struggle” with both men on the ground as McConnachie apparently tried to disarm him.
It was during this that Thomas was fatally struck, but McConnachie said: “I do not know how it happened.”
Richard Goddard, defending, stated the killing had occurred after an initial “relatively minor” altercation between the pair.
The KC said McConnachie had “always accepted responsibility” for the death and had shown remorse for what happened.
Sentencing, Lord Arthurson said he had read emotional impact statements from those close to the victim.
The judge told McConnachie: “You should be under no illusion of the scale of the dreadful loss sustained by Mr O’Rourke’s family occasioned by your fatal attack.”
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