Post by ADH7901 on Oct 8, 2003 12:59:31 GMT -5
www.news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2030608
Vampire Murderer Begins Life Behind Bars
By Rod Minchin, Scottish Press Association
A man who murdered his best friend, drank his blood and ate part of his head because he thought it granted him immortality was tonight beginning a life sentence.
Allan Menzies, 22, bludgeoned Thomas McKendrick to death in a frenzied attack after a row over a horror film.
Judge Roderick Macdonald QC branded him an “evil and dangerous psychopath” and recommended he serve at least 18 years in prison.
The former security guard, of Fauldhouse, West Lothian, claimed he was ordered by a vampire from the horror film Queen Of The Damned to kill Mr McKendrick, also from Fauldhouse.
The killer had become obsessed with the film, which he had watched more than 100 times in the months before the murder.
Menzies, who suffered from an anti-social personality disorder, had a dangerous fascination with violence, which grew from a troubled childhood.
It emerged after the case that as a 14-year-old, he was sent to a young offenders’ institute for three years for stabbing a fellow school pupil with a knife.
He was convicted four years ago and fined £300 for a breach of the peace in an incident which also involved a knife.
During the week-long trial at the High Court in Edinburgh, Menzies denied murder and attempting to defeat the course of justice.
He admitted culpable homicide on the grounds of diminished responsibility but this was rejected by the Crown.
The court heard Menzies believed The Queen of The Damned’s main character – a female vampire called Akasha – used to visit his bedroom and the pair had struck a deal in which he would achieve immortality if he killed people.
He snapped when his 21-year-old friend insulted the vampire – played by late US singer Aaliyah – and battered him with a hammer and repeatedly stabbed him to death.
Menzies told the court that after murdering Thomas, a friend since he was four, he became a vampire and was immortal.
After killing his friend on December 11 last year, he first dumped his corpse in a wheelie bin outside his home and later buried Mr McKendrick in a shallow grave in nearby woodland.
Menzies lied to police about his friend’s whereabouts and claimed he had spoken to him on the telephone – even though he knew he was dead.
During the trial, jurors heard that Menzies, who changed his Christian name to Leon in honour of the assassin from the film of the same name, had become increasingly obsessed with vampires.
When police raided his home in January they found videos, including Queen Of The Damned, and one of the Vampire Chronicles books, Blood and Gold by Anne Rice, on which various passages had been hand written, many of them with mis-spellings.
Pages of the book were shown to the jury, including one on which had been written: “The blood is the life, I have drunk the blood and it shall be mine, for I have seen horror.”
The accused, who was sent to the State Hospital in Carstairs, Lanarkshire in May for assessment, also said he was disappointed there were no other vampires in the psychiatric unit.
The jury heard that Mr McKendrick suffered six heavy blows to the head and 42 stab wounds to the head, neck and body.
It took the panel of six men and nine women 90 minutes to return guilty verdicts to both charges.
Menzies was stone-faced as Judge Macdonald jailed him for life. He said: “Three psychologists have diagnosed you as a psychopath.
“In my opinion you are an evil, violent and highly dangerous man who is not fit to be at liberty.
“You subjected Thomas McKendrick to a savage and merciless attack. You totally lack remorse.”
The judge also ordered that Menzies serve three years concurrently for attempting to defeat the aims of justice.
Outside court, Mr McKendrick’s sister said Menzies’ claims that he was mentally ill was just an act.
Sandra-Mary McKendrick, 23, said: “I would just like to say we are very pleased with the verdict and he is not going to do it again.
“He got what he deserved. I believe he was not mentally ill all along – it was just an act.”
Menzies’ father, Thomas, 49, refused to comment as he left the court.
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Well I'm glad they found him guilty...he is crazy
LOL
Vampire Murderer Begins Life Behind Bars
By Rod Minchin, Scottish Press Association
A man who murdered his best friend, drank his blood and ate part of his head because he thought it granted him immortality was tonight beginning a life sentence.
Allan Menzies, 22, bludgeoned Thomas McKendrick to death in a frenzied attack after a row over a horror film.
Judge Roderick Macdonald QC branded him an “evil and dangerous psychopath” and recommended he serve at least 18 years in prison.
The former security guard, of Fauldhouse, West Lothian, claimed he was ordered by a vampire from the horror film Queen Of The Damned to kill Mr McKendrick, also from Fauldhouse.
The killer had become obsessed with the film, which he had watched more than 100 times in the months before the murder.
Menzies, who suffered from an anti-social personality disorder, had a dangerous fascination with violence, which grew from a troubled childhood.
It emerged after the case that as a 14-year-old, he was sent to a young offenders’ institute for three years for stabbing a fellow school pupil with a knife.
He was convicted four years ago and fined £300 for a breach of the peace in an incident which also involved a knife.
During the week-long trial at the High Court in Edinburgh, Menzies denied murder and attempting to defeat the course of justice.
He admitted culpable homicide on the grounds of diminished responsibility but this was rejected by the Crown.
The court heard Menzies believed The Queen of The Damned’s main character – a female vampire called Akasha – used to visit his bedroom and the pair had struck a deal in which he would achieve immortality if he killed people.
He snapped when his 21-year-old friend insulted the vampire – played by late US singer Aaliyah – and battered him with a hammer and repeatedly stabbed him to death.
Menzies told the court that after murdering Thomas, a friend since he was four, he became a vampire and was immortal.
After killing his friend on December 11 last year, he first dumped his corpse in a wheelie bin outside his home and later buried Mr McKendrick in a shallow grave in nearby woodland.
Menzies lied to police about his friend’s whereabouts and claimed he had spoken to him on the telephone – even though he knew he was dead.
During the trial, jurors heard that Menzies, who changed his Christian name to Leon in honour of the assassin from the film of the same name, had become increasingly obsessed with vampires.
When police raided his home in January they found videos, including Queen Of The Damned, and one of the Vampire Chronicles books, Blood and Gold by Anne Rice, on which various passages had been hand written, many of them with mis-spellings.
Pages of the book were shown to the jury, including one on which had been written: “The blood is the life, I have drunk the blood and it shall be mine, for I have seen horror.”
The accused, who was sent to the State Hospital in Carstairs, Lanarkshire in May for assessment, also said he was disappointed there were no other vampires in the psychiatric unit.
The jury heard that Mr McKendrick suffered six heavy blows to the head and 42 stab wounds to the head, neck and body.
It took the panel of six men and nine women 90 minutes to return guilty verdicts to both charges.
Menzies was stone-faced as Judge Macdonald jailed him for life. He said: “Three psychologists have diagnosed you as a psychopath.
“In my opinion you are an evil, violent and highly dangerous man who is not fit to be at liberty.
“You subjected Thomas McKendrick to a savage and merciless attack. You totally lack remorse.”
The judge also ordered that Menzies serve three years concurrently for attempting to defeat the aims of justice.
Outside court, Mr McKendrick’s sister said Menzies’ claims that he was mentally ill was just an act.
Sandra-Mary McKendrick, 23, said: “I would just like to say we are very pleased with the verdict and he is not going to do it again.
“He got what he deserved. I believe he was not mentally ill all along – it was just an act.”
Menzies’ father, Thomas, 49, refused to comment as he left the court.
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Well I'm glad they found him guilty...he is crazy
LOL
