Murder verdict 'result for Malcolm' after killers found guilty

Simon Roberts, 38, and Sean McKie, 37, were found guilty after they set upon Malcolm McCandlish, who passed away in hospital following the violent head-kicking attack.

The High Court in Glasgow was shown graphic CCTV and mobile phone footage of Mr McCandlish being repeatedly headbutted, then hitting his head on the street in Irvine town centre on his 43rd birthday in September 2024.

Those in court were also shown images of both posing smiling after the incident and Roberts giving McKie a 'celebratory' slap on the back.

Roberts, who claimed he had acted in self defence, and McKie were both found guilty by a majority of jury members of killing Mr McCandlish on Tuesday, April 14, following a week-long trial.

Simon Roberts and Sean McKie (Image: Police Scotland)

Speaking after the verdict outside the High Court in Glasgow, his father, Malcolm McCandlish Senior, said: "It's a result for Malcolm, as long as he got justice, that was all I cared about.

"Malcolm lived to be affectionate. You would have loved him.

"They [Roberts and McKie] were out to cause trouble, they were out for a rampage that day."

His sister Margaret added: "And now I don't have a brother."

Jason Pendlebury, who himself suffered kicks to the head from McKie in the assault, said: "He [Malcolm] would have helped anyone, he mostly sat playing his computer games.

Jury members were shown horrific video footage in Irvine that had been shared widely online on social media (Image: Facebook)

"I was just going out to get my hair cut and then to buy him a [birthday] present, and then out of nowhere for no reason all that happened."

Mr McCandlish's sister told the trial that she was attacked in an earlier assault, before her brother was targeted by the duo.

Margaret said her brother later refused ambulance treatment, as he "just wanted to go home" after being knocked out, before waking "spewing up blood" later that night.

Simon Roberts and Sean McKie leaving the horrific assault (Image: Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service)

The court was also shown CCTV images after the assault of McKie, wearing a blue 'Represent' hoodie, being slapped on the back by his co-accused Roberts, with a selfie of both smiling.

Giving evidence in his defence, Roberts said: “We were just walking over to the Northern Way pub. Sean said 'watch, they’ve got knives' or something. I didn’t have my glasses.

“They said something about their sister and threatening to stab us."

Asked what he thought when watching the video footage, Roberts replied: “When I found out he was in a bad way, it was a few days later, [I was] devastated, because of the hurt to himself, his family, and my family. I was just gutted."

Roberts denied “making this up as you go along” and that his evidence was “cobbled together”.

Sean McKie [right] and Simon Roberts [left] (Image: Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal service)

Asked if he wanted to watch the footage again, he said “not really, no”.

After the closing of the Crown's case on Friday, April 10, the advocate depute told the court that prosecutors were no longer proceeding with four of the charges against the pair - with jurors to focus on the murder charge and a serious assault allegation.

Both were convicted of the two remaining charges on the indictment.

Judge Lady Drummond deferred sentencing for background reports to be prepared, with the court told that Roberts has five previous convictions for assault, including to severe injury and permanent disfigurement which involved the use of a knife.

The judge said: "There is only one sentence for murder, which is life imprisonment, which is what I will be imposing."