Man jailed for murdering gay friend

David Nairne carried out a “vicious and sustained attack” on Alan Ross, stabbing him 11 times in the face and neck.

The fatal wound was so deep that it severed the jugular veins on both sides of the victim’s neck.

Nairne, 26, originally from Inverness, was told he must spend a minimum of 20 years in prison before being considered for parole.

A jury at the High Court in Livingston unanimously found him guilty of murdering 45-year-old Mr Ross in his home in Pilton, Edinburgh, in February.

They returned a majority verdict of guilty to a charge that he attempted to defeat the ends of justice by setting fire to the dead man’s clothing, tried to make the fire spread faster and disposed of evidence, including two knives used as the murder weapons.

Nairne was given a concurrent six year prison sentence for the secondary charge and both sentences were backdated to March 1 when he was first remanded in custody.