Scott Burrell: Given life

The Kurdish asylum seeker died later in hospital from a single stab wound to the chest.

Burrell was also accused of assaulting German tourist Stephan Herold in Albion Street, Glasgow on the same day and breaching the peace at the nearby Strathclyde University campus.

The judge said the attacks "were part of a violent, drunken spree through the city when you were armed with a knife and prepared to use it".

He described the attack on Mr Dag as "a shameful and cowardly and totally unprovoked attack carried out with a knife, which you were carrying in public, on a defenceless victim who was not only apparently a stranger to you but was a stranger to this country".

In the public gallery, Burrell's family broke down and wept as he was found guilty - in contrast he showed no emotion and stared straight ahead as he learned his fate.

The jury of seven women and eight men took 90 minutes to reach unanimous verdicts on both charges.

'I've stabbed that guy'

During the trial, they heard how Burrell confronted Mr Dag as he walked home with a friend to the Sighthill housing estate.

His friend, Erkan Ayyildiz, 16, said he and Mr Dag were chased through Sighthill Park by Burrell and another man just after they had crossed the M8 motorway.

Mr Ayyildiz said Burrell appeared to punch Mr Dag and run off.

Moments later, Mr Dag collapsed and cried out: "Oh my God, I've been stabbed."

Mr Dag was rushed to Glasgow Royal Infirmary, but doctors were unable to stop the bleeding and he later died.

Firsat Dag died from a single stab wound

During the trial, jurors heard as he walked away from the scene Burrell turned to his friend, Martin Gould, and said: "I've stabbed that guy".

Burrell's defence in court was to blame Gould, of Balornock, Glasgow, who was with him throughout the evening, for the killing in a special defence of incrimination.

The court heard how Burrell and Gould had spent 10 hours drinking during the day before going into Glasgow city centre.

Gould said he was walking through Sighthill Park with Burrell when Burrell began shouting at two men who had just stepped off the motorway bridge.

He said Burrell started running towards the men before returning a few minutes later and admitting having stabbed Firsat Dag.

Just an hour after the attack on Mr Dag, Burrell and Gould attacked German tourist Stephan Herold in the city centre.

No racial motivation

Mr Herold was left permanently disfigured after Burrell slashed his face with a knife and had to undergo emergency surgery for stomach injuries.

Mr Herold, who was in Glasgow to visit a friend, said the attack was seemingly unprovoked and motiveless, with no attempt to rob him at any stage.

Gould pleaded guilty to assaulting and attempting to rob Mr Herold at an earlier hearing.

He will be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on 19 December.

An allegation that Mr Dag's murder was racially motivated was withdrawn by the prosecution on Thursday.