Buckie teenager launches bid to reverse his culpable homicide conviction

Pensioner James Robson was attacked at his Buckie home
Pensioner James Robson was attacked at his Buckie home

A TEENAGER FOUND guilty of killing a pensioner at his home in Moray has returned to court this week in an attempt to have his conviction quashed.

Reece Munro was found guilty alongside his stepfather after what was described in court as a “brutal and unprovoked” attack on 66-year-old James Robson at his Buckie home in July 2012.

Mr Robson died almost a year after the attack – by which time both Reece Munro and Garry Munro had already been convicted of attempted murder. Following Mr Robson’s death fresh proceedings were brought against Garry Munro resulting in his being found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison.

Reece Munro was found guilty of culpable homicide and sentenced to the same four year term that he received at the first trial – now the 19-year-old has launched a case at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh seeking a reversal of that conviction.

It emerged in court on Wednesday that the Crown are still considering if they should oppose the appeal, with advocate depute Richard Goddard asking for a continuation of the case. He told Judge Lord Matthews: “There is a real issue as to whether the Crown ought to oppose the appeal or not.”

Lord Matthews granted the continuation request until next month.

Mr Robson suffered “catastrophic” injuries after the attack by the two men in his home in Blantyre Terrace on July 10, 2012. At the trial the court heard that Garry Munro repeatedly kicked and stamped his victim on the head – on being given a life sentence he was told that he should expect to serve at least 16 years.

Reece Munro was convicted of kicking and punching Mr Robson, who died almost a year after the attack at Buckie’s Seafield Hospital after contracting pneumonia.