Life for brutal thug who beat man to death

Jun 5 2008 by Shirley Bartynek

A DAD-of-one who beat a man to death in a horrific attack three hours after being released on bail from a court was last week jailed for life.

At the High Court in Glasgow, 36-year-old James Kennedy was convicted of murdering 54-year-old Stuart Train and ordered to serve at least 15 years in jail before being considered for parole.

Temporary judge Michael O’Grady QC told Kennedy: “This was a dreadful crime. It is not clear what gave rise to the attack.

“It was a sustained, brutal and cowardly attack on a man who for most of it was unable to defend himself. His injuries were appalling and his fate utterly undeserved.”

The court heard that Kennedy had been released on bail from Hamilton Sheriff Court at 5pm on November 12 last year.

Just three hours later he launched the attack on Mr Train at his home at Glencairn Tower, Motherwell.

Kennedy had a friend who lived in the tower block and with him visited Mr Train’s house.

Mr Train and his killer had never met before, but Kennedy, who had downed a bottle of Buckfast and taken heroin, launched a ferocious assault on him.

During the vicious onslaught Kennedy punched, kicked and stamped Mr Train with such force that footprints were left on his body.

Hugh Irwin, prosecuting, told the court that Kennedy had 60 previous convictions mostly for road traffic offences, car theft and police assault.

The court was told that Kennedy had problems with drink and drug abuse and began taking both when he was aged nine or 10.

Kennedy claimed that he had been attacked by Mr Train and was acting in self-defence, but the jury didn’t accept his story and unanimously found him guilty of murder.