Man stabs friend to death in street fight in Wishaw

A former music student has been found guilty of stabbing his friend to death following a street fight after a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

Francis McConnachie, 36, stabbed Thomas O’Rourke, 21, four times following an argument between the pair in their hometown of Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, on February 24, 2023.

Mr O’Rourke was found seriously injured and died a short time later.

McConnachie denied murder and was found guilty of a reduced charge of culpable homicide while acting under provocation.

During the trial, jurors heard the men went to McConnachie’s home, where the atmosphere was initially described as “good” before a fight broke out.

This led McConnachie to order his friend to leave.

McConnachie claimed Mr O’Rourke threatened him and his brother before leaving, so he “went after him”.

The court heard the pair got into a “standing fight” in the street before McConnachie was taken away and returned to their home.

McConnachie said he heard Mr O’Rourke shouting outside and left the property again.

He told the hearing that Mr O’Rourke had a knife and told him: “You can’t stab your friends.”

It is understood there was a “major struggle” with both men on the ground as McConnachie allegedly tried to disarm him.

Meanwhile, Mr. O’Rourke was fatally shot four times.

McConnachie said he was “trying to fight for my life” and was “extremely shocked” when he saw Mr O’Rourke lying dying on the ground.

He was later heard saying: “How can I defend my innocence? I was defending myself.”

“What will you do if someone is trying to kill you?”

But prosecutors said Mr. O’Rourke went after him when he could easily have stayed at the house.

There was evidence that he wanted to know where the victim was while shouting “I’ll serve 15 years.”

Advocate depute Ann MacNeill said she had “unfinished business” with Mr O’Rourke and stated McConnachie came out “with two tooled knives”, which McConnachie denied.

Judge Lord Arthurson postponed the sentence until the new year due to the reports.