Man who killed best friend in mistaken identity case jailed with second attacker

A man who murdered his best friend by knocking him down in a case of mistaken identity has been jailed for life, along with another man who stuck the victim with a machete.

Michael Beaton, 35, was hit with a car driven by Richard Mullan before being hit in the face with a machete by Alexander McQuillan in Greenock, Inverclyde, on November 26, 2023.

McQuillan, 27, and Mullan, 21, pleaded guilty to separate murder charges at earlier hearings.

They were both sentenced to life imprisonment when they appeared at the High Court in Glasgow on Tuesday, with McQuillan ordered to serve a minimum of 18 years behind bars and Mullan a minimum of 16.

Lord Cubie told them: “Both of you acted in a way which showed complete disregard for the consequences of your actions and for the life of your victim.”

Addressing Mullan, he said: “You drove not once but twice, in a deliberate and brutal act of extreme violence using your car as a deadly weapon, you drove away leaving your victim to his fate.”

Turning to McQuillan, the judge said: “After Mr Beaton had been seriously injured by Mr Mullan’s actions, while others were in the process of tending to him, you opportunistically and callously attacked him with a machete.”

He said the consequences for Mr Beaton’s family, particularly his children, have been “devastating”.

Prosecutor David McLean KC previously told the court Mr Beaton’s death had been “a case of mistaken identity” and McQuillan had been the intended target.

He said Mullan and Mr Beaton had apparently been searching for McQuillan in Greenock on the day of the incident.

Mr Beaton chased after McQuillan and other men before he was hit by the car driven by Mullan, the prosecutor said.

Mr Beaton was repeatedly struck with the vehicle during the incident on Drumfrochar Road before Mullan left the scene.

The prosecutor said CCTV had captured some of the events.

As the victim was lying on the ground, McQuillan approached him and attacked him with a machete.

McQuillan had earlier been heard to laugh and refer to the victim being hit by “his own pal”, the court was told.

Emergency services were called to the scene and Mr Beaton was taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, where he was pronounced dead later that evening.

Brian McConnachie KC, representing Mullan, said Mr Beaton had been his best friend.

He said: “Clearly the fact that he effectively killed his best friend is something that weighs very heavily on him.

“Mr Beaton was somebody who, although there was a significant age gap between them, was someone who Mr Mullan spoke to or saw on a daily basis and had been effectively a father figure in his life.

“He appreciates that the family of Mr Beaton can never forgive him but he does wish to express his sorrow for their loss and his apology.”

Thomas Ross KC, representing McQuillan, said his actions “demonstrate a level of callousness that it is simply impossible to mitigate”.

He said McQuillan was the intended target and described the circumstances as “extremely unusual”.

However he said: “He does now feel some sympathy for the family of Mr Beaton.”