Jonathan Graham, who was jailed for 19 years for the murder of 45-year-old Craig Swan in a Glasgow flat, has died in prison. The Scottish Prison Service confirmed Graham died aged 50 on September 1 while serving his sentence at HMP Shotts.
Graham was convicted of murder in November 2022 following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow. The killing took place at a property in the city's Drumchapel area in April 2021.
Brutal and ferocious attack
The trial heard that Graham was caught on CCTV entering and leaving the victim's flat, and detectives identified the killer from his "distinctive" walking style. Graham was seen going into the front entrance of the close in Jedworth Road where Mr Swan lived at 9.48pm that night and leaving at 10.16pm.
Prosecutor Greg Farrell told the trial: "I submit this was Graham and that, at some point during those 28 minutes, he entered Craig Swan's flat and killed him." The court heard the victim had been stabbed "repeatedly and deliberately" a total of 25 times and suffered blunt force trauma to the head and body.
Evidence and conviction
The court heard Graham's DNA was found on Mr Swan's face, hooded top, wrist brace and sock. It was also discovered he had deleted all earlier contact with Mr Swan from his phone. Graham was later held for the killing.
When Graham was jailed in 2022, the High Court in Edinburgh heard he still insisted police had arrested the wrong man, but he respected the jury's verdict. His lawyer, Gary Allan KC, told the court that Graham maintained his innocence following the guilty verdict.
Judge's remarks and aftermath
Judge Douglas Brown told Graham the crime was "brutal and ferocious". He added: "Eight of these wounds were potentially fatal. The injury to the heart was so severe that death was inevitable within minutes."
The Scottish Prison Service says that with each death in custody, Police Scotland are advised and the matter reported to the Procurator Fiscal. Fatal Accident Inquiries are held in due course into the circumstances.
