Marc O’Haire jailed for causing friend’s death in Bishopbriggs

Marc O’Haire (30) was cleared of John McFarlane’s murder but found guilty of culpable homicide by reason of provocation.

The pair fought after spending three hours in a “drinking den” in Springfield Avenue.

Mr McFarlane died after receiving a knife wound.

Sentencing O’Haire, the judge said he had “a considerable criminal record” and had no option but to send him to prison.

He added: “It is clear that you have had serious problems with alcohol and controlled drugs in the past and you also have a diagnosis of anti-social personality disorder.”

The accused was convicted following a trial at the High Court in Stirling in June.

O’Haire lost his temper with father-of-one McFarlane (28), the court heard.

Unemployed roofer O’Haire head-butted Mr McFarlane and ordered him out of his upstairs flat in Springfield Avenue, Bishopbriggs, after a scuffle. But Mr McFarlane, described as “very drunk”, grabbed a kitchen knife from O’Haire’s draining board.

He left, but soon afterwards began shouting up from the street and threatening to put O’Haire’s door in.

The pair continued fighting in the street during the incident on September 24, 2014, and O’Haire hit Mr McFarlane on the head with a dumbbell, causing a minor hairline skull fracture.

During the fight Mr McFarlane sustained a fatal knife wound to his chest, though the court was told it was not clear how this knife wound occurred. O’Haire believed he had fallen on his own knife.

The court heard however that happened, the impact was great enough to shatter the blade into several pieces.

O’Haire and Mr McFarlane had been friends for 15 years before the September 2014 incident.

O’Haire said he saw his friend fall on the grass and realised he was grievously injured, but never saw the knife enter his body and had no idea how the wound was caused.

He said he assumed Mr McFarlane had fallen on the blade.

Judge Lord Uist sentenced O’Haire, who had five previous convictions for knife possession.

Defence advocate Owen Mullan said his client was sorry about what he had done to Mr McFarlane.