Three jailed for 'vicious' murder of grandfather Brian Maley

A woman and two men convicted of the murder of a grandfather at his flat in Glasgow have been jailed.

Maria Gardiner, 47, Michael Anderson, 40, and James Houston, 35, killed Brian Maley at his home in Springburn on 8 February 2022.

The High Court in Glasgow previously heard the 52-year-old was stabbed with a knife and chisel.

The three were also found guilty of assaulting his partner Lynsey Patterson.

Gardiner and Anderson were each ordered to serve a minimum 18 years.

Houston was locked up for at least 18 and a half years as he had been on bail at the time.

During sentencing, Lord Fairley told them they all set off that day with "the intention of doing harm" to Mr Maley.

The judge said: "You took with you a toolbox containing items, some of which were ultimately used as weapons.

"You subjected him to a vicious attack which included multiple penetrating injuries.

"The jury accepted that... all three of you were party to and participated in the plan to assault Mr Maley in such a way that his death was a foreseeable outcome."

In his evidence, Houston told his KC Murray Macara: "I am sorry to the family. I never knew that someone was going to be assaulted, knifed or murdered."

He said Anderson had apparently gone to Mr Maley's flat in Young Terrace to "collect something owed to him".

Jurors had watched footage of the group initially walking from Govan into the city centre before getting a taxi to Mr Maley's home armed with a toolbox.

Once inside the flat the court heard they launched a brutal attack on Mr Maley and Ms Patterson.

Gardiner and Houston were later arrested at a city centre hotel having spent Valentine's Day together.

Houston said he had "been played" and was just an "innocent bystander".

He also dismissed a text that he sent about fighting as "fake bravado".

Houston said: "If I knew that was going to happen, I would not have gone at all. Michael just said 'go with me' and I went."

After the verdict in January, prosecutor Michael Macintosh told the court: "Brian Maley was a father and grandfather.

"He is survived by three adult daughters - two who have attended the trial each day.

"He is also survived by six grandchildren. The youngest was born just before this trial commenced.

"He was eagerly awaiting the birth of his first grandson at the time."

Lawyers for the three killers told the hearing that they continued to deny the murder.