Man admits stabbing 21-year-old to death after firework battle at home

A man who stabbed another man to death after his home was attacked by a gang armed with a machete and a hatchet has pleaded guilty to culpable homicide.

Jaxon Millar, who was 19 at the time, stabbed Robert McNally, 21, as he chased him down the street after the attack on his home in the Foxbar area of Paisley in January last year.

McNally and two other men, who were all masked and armed with weapons, repeatedly banged on Millar's door before they entered the property.

Millar threw fireworks at the men from an upstairs window in an effort to deter them from entering his house, the High Court in Glasgow heard.

He will be sentenced next month but judge Lord Mulholland warned him imprisonment was inevitable.

The judge told him: "This tit-for-tat violence only ends up in tragedy and where you are today.

"You took the life of another person and it is a very serious matter."

The court heard that McNally and Millar were known to each other but were not friends.

It was stated McNally and his friends were annoyed that a woman Millar knew had given a police statement regarding domestic abuse allegations.

This led to someone being held in custody and the group wanted to speak to Millar about it.

McNally's friends went to Millar's home earlier that day and it resulted in an argument.

When McNally was informed, he was angry and drove back to Millar's house with two friends.

After banging on the door, Millar threw fireworks at them to keep them from entering the building.

Eventually they ran into Millar's flat for 30 to 60 seconds before exiting again.

One of the men started to smash Millar's car and was then joined by McNally.

Millar ran out his home and chased after McNally.

Prosecutor Greg Farrell said: "Millar caught up with him and stabbed him once on the back. Mr McNally fell to the ground.

"The other man, who was armed, ran back and a brief altercation took place among the three men.

"Mr McNally had got back to his feet.

"During the altercation, Millar was struck on the side of the face with a hatchet."

Millar ran back into his house as McNally and the other man walked off.

McNally collapsed to the ground as the other man tried to give first aid and shouted for help.

The knife and hatchet were later recovered.

Emergency services attended but McNally did not survive.

A post-mortem examination found that the blade had entered the left lung which collapsed and was "sufficient enough to account for death".

Millar was initially charged with murder but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of culpable homicide.

Defence lawyer John Scullion told the court: "The situation was Mr Millar was in his own home minding his own business.

"Those who attended were there to intimidate and assault him.

"These were people who were known for significant acts of violence and were there to inflict acts of violence on him.

"These are the circumstances to which he reacted and he immediately tried to deter them with fireworks."

Millar was remanded in custody until his sentencing.

After his death, tributes were paid to McNally, with girlfriend Angel White saying: "Robert darling. Our relationship wasn't perfect, you were the most hot headed, craziest boy I have ever met.

"But there wasn't anything you wouldn't do for the people you cared about and that's what I loved about you.

"You have been taken away from us all so sudden and far too early but I feel lucky to say I got to spend the last few months of your life by your side and I'm really going to miss you.

"I'll always hold a place for you in my heart Robert, forever."