An out of control drink and drug fuelled knife attacker was sentenced to detention for life today after savagely stabbing a young man to death. Caleb Ferguson was ordered to serve at least 16 years before he becomes eligible to apply for parole after murdering Cameron Rae, 20, at a flat in Perth.
As Ferguson was led away from the dock at the High Court in Edinburgh to start his sentence shouts of “f***ing rot” and “f***ing burn” were directed at him from the public benches. Ferguson, who was 18 at the time of the murder, stabbed his victim three times to his torso, with one wound causing fatal internal damage.
A judge told the killer that a victim impact statement provided by the mother of the deceased on behalf of his family described the continuing daily impact of the loss of the much loved son and brother. Lord Scott said: “She says Cameron’s death has ripped their family apart.”
The judge said a background report prepared on Ferguson expanded on evidence heard at his earlier trial about his excessive consumption of alcohol and cocaine at the time of the crime. Lord Scott said: “In your own words ‘at the time you were out of control’.”
He said the report detailed various adverse childhood experiences that continue to affect Ferguson. He told him: “I leave out of account what you told the author of the report about selling drugs for a lengthy period to provide you with a considerable income.”
Ferguson, now 20, had earlier denied murdering Mr Rae on April 8 last year at a flat in South Methven Street, Perth, by repeatedly striking him on the body with a knife, but was found guilty of the crime. At the outset of the trial he admitted he killed the victim after offering a guilty plea to the lesser offence of culpable homicide, but the Crown rejected that.
After the fatal attack Ferguson fled into the streets of Perth before turning up hours later at Arbroath police station wearing a change of clothes and claiming he had been on a night out in the Angus town and was needing help to get back to Perth. The court heard that after the murder Ferguson told his sister in a phone call that he had “plugged f***” out of his victim.
Witness Connor Kelly, 19, said he was at a bar in Perth with others watching an Old Firm football match on TV when Ferguson joined them. He and Ferguson went to the flat where the attack later took place to continue drinking. On a trip out of the flat he came across Mr Rae, who had also been drinking, and invited him back to the property.
Mr Kelly said at one point he left Ferguson and Mr Rae in the flat as he went to carry out a drug deal. He returned to find Mr Rae injured and Ferguson looking angry.
Advocate depute Greg Farrell told jurors at the earlier trial: “Caleb Ferguson said something about Cammy having called his dad a junkie and that appears to be the only explanation offered by Caleb Ferguson as to why he stabbed Cameron Rae to death.”
The prosecutor said: “The evidence in this case shows a murderous attack demonstrating that the accused Caleb Ferguson either intended to kill Cameron Rae or was wickedly reckless as to whether he lived or died.”
Defence counsel Richard Goddard KC said there was evidence that both Mr Kelly and Ferguson were on the phone immediately after the incident to the emergency services trying to seek help for the deceased.
Mr Goddard asked the judge to take into account Scottish guidelines for the sentencing of young people and said: “I would invited your Lordship to take the view this a young person who it appears has suffered adverse childhood experiences and who, at the time this offence occurred, was in a poor state of health.”
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