Men admit slash and stab killing
A father and son have admitted hacking, slashing and stabbing a man to death in Glasgow.
Alexander Gallagher, 51, and Alexander Gallagher junior, 29, pleaded guilty to the culpable homicide of 27-year-old Gavin Wright in August 2004.
The High Court in Glasgow heard how they had been involved in a long-running feud with their victim sparked by dead racing pigeons.
Temporary judge Bill Dunlop QC deferred sentence on both men until next month.
The court heard how the Gallagher and Wright families were involved in a long-running feud which began when racing pigeons were found dead in a loft.
Mr Wright, of Law Street, Barrowfield, and another man were vandalising the Gallagher's car with an axe on 9 August 2004.
The court heard that Gallagher junior was struck by pellets after a gun was fired, but not seriously injured.
Gallagher junior and his accomplice then chased Mr Wright and when he tripped and fell repeatedly hit him with a machete.
During the attack Gallagher senior shouted encouragement from a window of the family home.
He said he hoped that Mr Wright would die during the attack and urged his son and the other man to "go back and finish him off".
The attack left Mr Wright's face slashed open. He also had multiple fractures to his skull and 17 stab wounds to his body.
The court heard that in 2005 the Gallaghers were both convicted of murdering Mr Wright and ordered to serve at least 15 years in jail before being eligible for parole.
But after the trial, detailed examination of CCTV footage cast serious doubts on two witnesses and the Appeal Court quashed the convictions.
The Crown was given authority to raise fresh proceedings against father and son.
They were due to go to trial accused of murder when the Crown accepted their pleas to the reduced charge of culpable homicide.