Man jailed for Edinburgh knife murder after attack on ex-girlfriend

A man has been jailed for 18 years for murdering a hotel porter in a row over his ex-partner.

A court heard Sam Atkins, 29, was angry after being dumped by Raehanna Cameron. He attacked her and her friend Charles Paul who had tried to protect her.

Mr Paul, 69, died after being stabbed at least 22 times at a flat in Granton Crescent, Edinburgh, in March 2023.

At the High Court in Glasgow, Atkins pleaded guilty to murder as well as two charges of assaulting Ms Cameron.

Lord Clark described the murder as "an act of appalling brutality".

The court heard that Atkins and Ms Cameron, 36, had got together in January 2022, but she ended up feeling "unsafe" around him.

She wanted to end the relationship but Atkins "did not take it well".

He assaulted her shortly before the fatal attack on Mr Paul.

Mr Paul, a night porter at Edinburgh's Bruntsfield Hotel, knew Ms Cameron through her late father.

He had promised to look after Ms Cameron after her father's death.

On the day of the murder she had left Atkins' possessions outside her flat.

Ms Cameron was at the property with Mr Paul.

She went to charge her phone, but realised Atkins' was already plugged in.

Ms Cameron found him in the hallway holding two knives. In a bid to escape she locked herself in a bedroom.

The court was told that Mr Paul could be heard "trying to reason" with Atkins urging him to "calm down".

Ms Cameron called 999 and begged for help.

Police arrived as Atkins jumped out of the second floor window. He was later traced by a police dog nearby.

Officers found Mr Paul unresponsive and in a pool of blood in a bedroom. He had suffered at least 22 stab wounds and other injuries.

Ronnie Renucci KC, defending, said Atkins had been "under the influence" at the time and had no memory of the killing.

He added: "He has had difficulty accepting what he had done. He does not recognise the person who committed these offences."

Lord Clark jailed Atkins for at least 18 years, and said the parole board would decide "whether and when" he would be released.

Police Scotland said it welcomed the sentencing and hoped that it brought closure for Mr Paul's family.

Det Ch Insp George Calder said: "These were despicable and callous acts carried out by Atkins, who showed an utter disregard for the life of Charles Paul or for the woman he seriously assaulted."