The Darker Side > Human Monsters

8 YEARS FOR KILLER WHO HACKED OFF DAD'S HAND

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Shadow:
A MAN who killed his stepfather, then hacked off the dead man's hand was jailed for eight years yesterday.

Alan Smith launched a frenzied attack on William Meldrum because he believed hewas a vampire.

He stabbed Mr Meldrum, stamped on him, battered him with a TV and tried to cut his head off.

Smith then severed his hand, put it in a bag and strolled down a city street with it.

At the High Court in Edinburgh, Smith, 37, admitted culpable homicide on the grounds of diminished responsibility in April last year.

The court heard he had a history of mental health problems and drink and drug abuse. He cut off his own manhood in 2000.


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Donald Findlay, defending, said that at the time of the killing, Smith was "manifestly and severely psychotic".


He added: "A layman would have regarded Alan Smith as being quite, quite mad."


Smith was sent to the State Hospital in Carstairs after killing Mr Meldrum, 50Mr Findlay said his condition had improved greatly and he was now well enough to express genuine remorse.


He said Smith had "mercifully been pulled back by due and appropriate medical care from the brink of that looming and awful pit".


Mr Findlay said Smith, who lived with Mr Meldrum in Edinburgh, was convinced his stepfather was a vampire who wanted to drink his blood.


After killing him at home, Smith headed for Leith Walk, where he stopped three men and asked for a light.


He told them: "I have just killed someone."


Kevin McCallum, prosecuting, said: "They thought this was a joke until Smith said, 'Look at this' and produced the hand from the bag

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