Two men sentenced for killing stranger during failed robbery

Two men, James Cook, 49, and Brian Reilly, 37, have been sentenced to jail for the murder of Alastair Campbell in Renfrew during a street robbery that went awry on October 30, 2023.

Alastair Campbell, 52, was fatally stabbed in the abdomen near his home and was discovered covered in blood at his flat's front door by a friend.

At the High Court in Glasgow, Cook was sentenced to a minimum of 16 years and eight months, while Reilly received a 15-year and nine-month sentence.

Both perpetrators had extensive criminal histories, with Cook having five previous High Court convictions, including one for attempted murder, and Reilly having a violent past involving knife-related offenses.

The court was told that the murder resulted from a robbery that went terribly wrong, according to Cook's KC Brian McConnachie, while Reilly's defense, Gary Allan KC, stated that Reilly's actions were driven by a drug and alcohol dependency.

Mr. Campbell had been socializing in Renfrew that night and was walking home with a friend when he was targeted by Cook and Reilly, who had been frequenting Reilly's girlfriend's home in the town.

CCTV footage captured the assailants catching up with Mr. Campbell on Renfield Street in Renfrew, where they carried out a violent attack, with Cook assaulting the victim with a knife and Reilly searching his pockets.

Despite managing to reach his home, Mr. Campbell was found collapsed at his door by a friend, and paramedics were unable to revive him. Reilly and Cook were subsequently arrested.

Lord Harrower, when sentencing the two men, described the assault as vicious and cowardly, causing immense devastation to Mr. Campbell's family.