Warning: this story contains graphic content which some readers might find distressing
A murderer who stabbed his victim 22 times before cooking and eating his finger and setting his flat on fire has been jailed for 23 years.
Gabriel Brown killed Joseph Ernest Johnston, 58, at the victim’s home in Annan, Dumfries and Galloway, on 19 November 2024.
Brown, 35, had denied murder with a special defence that he was suffering from a mental disorder at the time and believed he had been possessed by the spirit of 19th Century occultist Aleister Crowley.
However, Brown was found guilty of the “sustained, merciless and vicious attack” at an earlier trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
Johnston was pronounced dead at the scene when emergency crews were called to the fire on Lady Street.
The trial heard Johnston had previously been in a relationship with Brown’s stepmother.
Brown, a convicted sex offender, had targeted Johnston over claims of what he had been told about their time together.
On one occasion, his stepmother had pointed out to Brown where Johnston lived and called him a derogatory name.
Brown, who had been diagnosed with mental health issues as a teenager, had consumed alcohol and cannabis before going to Johnston’s home late at night.
The two men had not previously met, but Johnston is said to have allowed him in and taken a selfie with him.
However, the court heard Brown then became violent and attacked Johnston with a knife before carving letters into his face.
He started fires in four areas of the home, including putting metal cutlery in the microwave, turning on cooker hobs and torching furniture.
Brown was also said to have ripped out smoke alarms.
Fire crews were called to the scene the following morning and were able to extinguish the blaze.
Johnston’s body was discovered charred inside afterwards.
During his evidence, former bouncer Brown told the court he had “no recollection” of stabbing Johnston but did remember removing the knife from him.
He said he attributed the stabbing to Crowley, the occultist, and claimed friends had told him of previous incidents in which he was “possessed” by him.
Brown also said he did Johnston a “favour” by removing his ring finger and consuming it.
He claimed Crowley was going to “take his [Johnston’s] soul”.
Brown was arrested after being found sleeping in his stepmother’s attic.
After the attack, he was found to have texted a friend about Johnston, saying “he sleeps forever”.
Brown had previously been jailed for offences involving young girls.
His defence advocate, Thomas Ross KC, said Brown been affected by mental health issues since he was a young, but had not helped himself by “lapses” in taking medication.
The judge excused the jurors from serving again for life due to the “harrowing and graphic” evidence they had heard.
Sentencing, Lord Mulholland told Brown: “This was a sustained, merciless and vicious attack on a defenceless man in his own home.
“It was motivated by a desire to punish the victim for what you believed had happened to your stepmother.”
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