Alexander McQuillan, 27, and Richard Mullan, 21, were today sentenced for the murder of Michael Beaton, 35, in Greenock, Inverclyde, on November 26 2023.
A judge heard of a bizarre, but fatal set of circumstances in which Mullan and Mr Beaton initially seemed to be targeting McQuillan in the town that night.
Alexander McQuillan (Image: Image from Police Scotland)
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Mr Beaton had chased McQuillan and an associate on foot.
Mullan was in a stolen Audi Q2 and drove at speed, planning to hit McQuillan – but struck “best friend” Mr Beaton instead.
Not realising his error, he then ploughed into him a second time.
McQuillan took refuge in a nearby close, but, on seeing Mr Beaton badly hurt, he struck him repeatedly with a machete and stated: “You’ll not do something like that again in a hurry”.
The thugs were back at the High Court in Glasgow today, having each earlier pled guilty to separate murder charges.
Both were handed life sentences by Lord Cubie.
McQuillan must serve at least 18 years behind bars, while Mullan was locked up for a minimum of 16 years.
The judge first told Mullan: “This was a deliberate and brutal act of extreme violence using your car as a deadly weapon.”
Addressing McQuillan, he stated to him: “While others were in the process of tending to Mr Beaton, you opportunistically and callously attacked him with a machete.
“You did not know when you attacked him that he had already suffered unsurvivable injuries.
“The notion that this was to protect yourself was fanciful.”
Prosecutor David McLean KC had revealed at a hearing in November the background to events that evening.
He said Mullan and Mr Beaton had been out in Greenock “apparently searching” for McQuillan.
Mr Beaton had been driving a red Ford Fiesta.
Mullan was behind the wheel of a stolen white Audi Q2, which had false number plates.
McQullian and a friend were out in the town around 7.15pm.
At the same time, Mr Beaton and Mullan were in their cars nearby.
Mr Beaton stopped his motor.
McQuillan and his associate then approached Mr Beaton’s Ford.
The victim got out his vehicle where there was seen to be a “verbal exchange” between the three men.
McQuillan and his friend then sprinted off as Mr Beaton chased on foot with the engine to his Ford still running.
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Mr McLean then explained: “Mullan – in his Audi – turned around and drove.
“As McQuillan, his associate and Mr Beaton were running in the town’s Drumfochar Road, they were closely followed by the Audi, which was travelling at speed on the wrong side of the road.
“Mullan intended to strike McQuillan, but instead hit Mr Beaton, who was thrown onto the far side of the road.
“A voice could be heard on a CCTV recording saying; ‘ha, ha, he has just done his own pal’.”
Mr Beaton was badly hurt and curled up on the road.
McQuillan meantime hid in a close.
Mullan – who still believed he had hit McQuillan – then turned around his Audi to try and hit him again.
Mr Beaton saw this and tried to stagger to the pavement – but was struck for a second time.
He was flung down the road and this time lay motionless on the pavement.
Mullan raced off damaging a traffic control box on his way.
Mr McLean: “Mullan intended to kill the person he struck albeit his intended target was, in fact, McQuillan.
“It is not known when he realised his mistake.”
Witnesses went to help Mr Beaton. McQuillan came out of the close he was in clutching a machete.
He jogged over to the victim with others, thinking he was also going to assist.
But, Mr McLean said: “They heard McQuillan say to Mr Beaton; ‘You’ll not do something like that again in a hurry’.
“He then struck him several times with the machete before moving away.”
McQuillan jumped into Mr Beaton’s vehicle, initially stopping at a car park, then his sister’s home, before going to his own house.
Mr McLean: “McQuillan’s actions were, at least, wickedly reckless.”
An unconscious Mr Beaton was rushed to hospital – emergency surgery was carried out, but he did not survive.
He was found to have multiple injuries as a result of being hit by the Audi, as well as a number of wounds from being struck by the machete.
The court heard Mr Beaton died from a combination of injuries.
McQuillan already had a lengthy list of convictions – he was once jailed for three years at the High Court for aggravated assault.
Mullan was arrested, having initially gone to Spain after the killing.
Mullan’s KC Brian McConnachie today said: “Due to confusion, what occurred, as a result, was that he murdered – other than his own mother – the closest person to him in his life.
“The fact that he effectively killed his best friend weighs heavily on him.
“Mr Beaton had been a father figure in his life. Although the family can never forgive him, he does offer his sorrow and regret to them.”
Thomas Ross KC, defending McQuillan, stated the court may consider his attack on a stricken Mr Beaton as showing “a level of callousness that is impossible to mitigate”.
