A COWDENBEATH man who killed a "loving" grandfather by pushing him down a flight of stairs at a busy railway station has been jailed for six years.

Marc McKinlay, 38, assaulted Donald Maguire at Edinburgh Haymarket on February 20, 2020.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how he pushed Mr Maguire which caused him to fall and hit his head off the ground. The 58-year-old later died in hospital.

McKinlay then kicked Mr Maguire’s son Brian on the body before striking him on the head with a bag containing cans of alcohol.

He was arrested after getting on a train.

Last month McKinlay was found guilty, at the end of four day trial, of culpable homicide.

He also admitted assaulting Brian to his “severe injury”.

McKinlay was sentenced today (Wednesday) when judge Fiona Tait told him that jail was the only option available to her.

She said: “I have read victim impact statements from Mr Maguire’s wife, son and daughter and these each describe in moving terms the understandable loss that Mr Maguire’s death has had upon them.

“There is no sentence which the court can impose that can bring Mr Maguire back to his family or indeed reflect his loss.

"It is accurate in these circumstances that a custodial sentence is the appropriate disposal in this case.”

Mr Maguire, described by his family as a "loving husband, an incredible dad, the best grandad and brother that any of us could ever have", died from his injuries at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh on March 4, 2020.

The court had heard how Mr Maguire and his son had been enjoying a night out in Edinburgh and had gone to Haymarket to catch a train back home when they came into contact with McKinlay.

Personal assistant Katie McCulloch, 40, was returning home from a night out when she came face to face with McKinlay on the train.

She had earlier witnessed the incident involving Mr Maguire and his son.

She had said: “I remember feeling quite frightened. He was carrying some beers. I thought he was drunk. He was swearing. He was saying ‘oh for f**k’s sake, he’s a f*****g a******e’.

“I backed away as he swayed onto the platform.”

Ms McCulloch also told the court about McKinlay’s attitude when police officers told him to get off the train. She said she sat close by as he spoke to police officers.

She added: “He said 'For f**k’s sake here we go’. He was huffing and puffing. He was a bit reluctant to get off the train.

“I remember him pointing back towards his beers. He seemed to be more concerned about his beers than what happening on the stairs.”

Travel agency worker Connie Dalrymple, 29, recalled the moments after Mr Maguire was assaulted.

She said: “When he fell we heard his head crack. He lay just still. He didn’t move. We thought it was quite serious.”

She said she and her partner gave Mr Maguire CPR and put him into the recovery position. She phoned 999.

Speaking about McKinlay, Ms Dalrymple added: “He ran past us and got on the train.”

Defence solicitor advocate Iain McSporran QC said that McKinlay assaulted Mr Maguire in the “heat of the moment”.

He said his client did not set out to kill him and asked for this to be taken into account with the sentence.

Mr McSporran added: “There is nothing I can say or anything I can do which can alleviate the loss felt by Mr Maguire’s family.

“Mr McKinlay fully accepts that only a custodial sentence is appropriate. He has expressed his clear remorse for the loss of Mr Maguire in the circumstances.”

Judge Tait also gave McKinlay 15 months for assaulting Brian Maguire. However, she said the sentence would run concurrently to the six year term.