A Dundee butcher has been found guilty of the brutal murder of a father of two.
Matthew Pope drunkenly battered Michael Given to death as he lay defenceless on the living room floor of his Lochee flat.
A High Court trial at Aberdeen heard that one of the skull fractures Pope inflicted on his victim was of the severity usually seen in high-speed road crashes.
Pope callously left 29-year-old Mr Given lying in a pool of blood following the attack and changed his blood-soaked clothes after returning to his girlfriend’s flat.
Today’s guilty verdict followed a two-week trial at the High Court in Aberdeen.
The Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Bobby Dow from Police Scotland’s Specialist Crime Division paid tribute to Michael’s family and the enquiry team.
He said, “The murder of Michael Given was unfortunately a harsh example of the impact of alcohol related violence and I hope that the guilty verdict will go someway towards allowing Michael’s family to move on after enduring such a difficult six months.
“The knowledge that Matthew Pope will now serve a significant period of his life behind bars may provide some reassurance, not only for Michael’s family but also for other members of the public, who thankfully will now not be exposed to such a violent person.
“I would like to acknowledge my appreciation for Michael’s family and the understanding they showed during the police investigation and would also like to recognise the work of my colleagues at the Scottish Police Authority who provided the expert forensic support so vital in this murder investigation.”For full coverage of the verdict, see Tuesday’s Courier or try our digital edition.