Family demand lengthy jail term for Stirlingshire dad’s killer

A Stirlingshire man who stabbed an Afghanistan war hero to death has been found guilty of culpable homicide.

George Rogerson was convicted at the High Court in Dundee after initially being accused of murdering father-of-two Leon Cairney in Plean three days before Christmas last year.

Rogerson, 22, denied murder but admitted stabbing his victim 11 times, including one blow which drove the eight-inch kitchen knife blade into his stomach up to the hilt and another which broke a rib.

He claimed he had been provoked at his home address by Mr Cairney and another man on the fateful night.

The dead man’s family called for a lengthy jail term to be imposed after sentence was deferred.

For full coverage of the verdict and its aftermath, see Thursday’s Courier or try our digital edition.