Murder is classified as one of the most serious crimes in Scotland.
The wilful destruction of life with either the intent to kill or a “wicked recklessness” can carry a mandatory life sentence. To callously take the life of another shows how humanity carries evil depths, but the mockery of a victim online hours after a brutal slaying brings a deeper level of depravity to the crime.
In Scotland, numerous killers have flocked to social media in the wake of their horrific offences. Some have used online platforms in desperate attempts to conceal their actions, while others used their accounts to mock and taunt their dead victims.
We have taken a look at some of the most horrific cases where callous killers posted on social media in the wake of their chilling killings.
A sick Scots mum who murdered her newborn baby posted a series of disturbing social media videos in which she ranted about missing her daughter and told people to stop “f***ing” discussing the death.
Nicole Blain, 30, was jailed for life for the murder of her 19-day-old daughter Thea Jane Wilson following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday, May 28. Little Thea suffered a string of catastrophic injuries including three skull fractures, brain damage and bleeding behind the eyes after Blain lost her temper at her flat in Greenock, Inverclyde, on July 14, 2023.
View 10 ImagesLittle Thea
Following her conviction, we shared clips posted by Blain on TikTok in the aftermath of the brutal murder, where she played the part of a bereaved mum. Blain spoke about her loss, at one point describing it as “an unexpected tragedy” while struggling to compose herself on camera, as she tried to convince others of her innocence.
She said: “This is an unexpected tragedy that’s happened… I can’t even talk, I need to pause. I’ve tried to record this many times and I just don’t know what to say. Nothing in the world is going to bring my baby back.”
In the video filmed from hospital, she told followers she was “in the right place getting the support” she needed.
View 10 ImagesNicole Blain at the High Court in Glasgow(Image: Spindrift)
The attention seeking mum even shared footage of her newborn daughter, Thea, including a clip of her feeding the baby. Alongside the post, she wrote: “Found this in my drafts,” followed by three broken-heart emojis, with the song “Area Codes” playing in the background.
In another emotional post, she said: “Nobody deserves the f***ing s*** I’ve been through. Losing my wee lassie is the worst thing I’ve ever went through in my life. I really don’t see the light at the end of this tunnel for me.”
In a separate rant, she hit out at others discussing the death publicly, insisting she should be the one to address any questions.
“I don’t need anyone else to speak on the f***ing matters,” she said. “We’re going to leave it here and if anyone has got any questions regarding my daughter, then don’t go and speak about it in the community — come to me, her mother. I will tell you, simple.”
Two callous killers celebrated and posed for selfies online after brutally murdering a dad in a sickening street attack.
Simon Roberts, 38, and Sean McKie, 37, pounced on Malcolm McCandlish, 43, in Irvine, Ayrshire, in September 2024. Malcolm and his sister’s partner Jason Pendlebury had approached the pair after McKie earlier slapped his sibling Margaret McCandlish.
View 10 ImagesSimon Roberts, 38, (wearing the cap) and Sean McKie, 37 (wearing blue)
The father-of-one was punched to the ground by Roberts before the pair knocked Mr Pendlebury unconscious in vile footage. The attack upon Malcolm was continued by Roberts who repeatedly headbutted him before McKie kicked him on the head.
Only Jason survived the attack after both men were knocked unconscious. Malcolm died to his catastrophic brain injury two weeks later.
In the sickening footage, Roberts can be seen slapping McKie on the back while smiling after he imitated the kick to Malcolm. Just 30 minutes later, the pair posed for a selfie while grinning in a pub before uploading it to social media.
View 10 ImagesThe pair celebrated along the street(Image: COPFS)
The pair were found guilty at the High Court in Glasgow of murdering Malcolm McCandlish on April 14. They were also convicted of assaulting Mr Pendlebury to his permanent disfigurement.
Two evil killers mocked their victims from behind bars, posting “They’re deed and we’re no – hahah” online.
Killer Ben McCulloch – son of Scottish gangland boss Brian McCulloch – posted party videos online with other out-of-control prisoners in that went viral on TikTok. The clip from McCulloch – featuring violence, bullying and drugs – glorified the 24-hour party life he and pals, stripped to the waist, claim to be living the high life at HMP Addiewell, in West Lothian.
That video followed an earlier shameful Instagram post that emerged from HMP Shotts, where bully McCulloch, 31, and murderer pal Ross Fisher were photographed. McCulloch was caged after stabbing 26-year-old Stephen Quigley at his home in Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, on 23 March 2021.
View 10 ImagesBen McCulloch and killer pal Ross Fisher sickeningly appeared in an Instagram post that laughed at the deaths of their victims
He left his friend outside the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley. Mr Quigley tried to walk to A&E for help but was found dead the next morning. Fisher was convicted alongside three others of the shotgun murder of Kenny Reilly, 29, who was shot in a car in Maryhill in Glasgow on April 16, 2018.
The mother and sisters of slain Stephen Quigley pleaded for a new law to hammer gloating criminals after the Record revealed the series of sickening videos filmed inside crisis-hit Addiewell nick.
View 10 ImagesBen McCulloch has been repeatedly been caught with phones in his cell – and has rejoiced in cell parties with “easy time” motto
Stephen’s mum Katie said: “I cannot put into words just how hurtful it was to see this man’s face on a photo, with a caption on it referring to the death of my son and the fact his killer is doing ‘easy time’.
“Ben McCulloch killed my boy, who was meant to be his best friend. His lawyer told the court that he was full of remorse but he has not one shred of remorse. If he did, how could he be posting videos about having 24 hour parties?”
A baby-faced killer posted a video of himself goading his neighbour hours before stabbing him to death.
Jack McBride, who was 17 at the time, knifed Johnny Winters, 26, in the heart during a confrontation in the street in Johnstone, Renfrewshire on April 1, 2020. He was found guilty of culpable homicide at the High Court in Glasgow in June 2022 and detained for six years and eight months.
McBride started the social media blitz with a screenshot of a message he’d sent Winters, confronting him over their feud. He then went to Winters’ home in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, and filmed himself goading him to come out of his flat in the High Street.
View 10 ImagesChilling Snapchat posts were shared by Jack McBride before he killed his victim
The thug shared the chilling video as a live stream for his followers. In the footage McBride shouts to his victim “Johnny, come down”.
Victim Winters can be heard replying: “Who is that?” McBride then shouts back: “It’s Jack McBride come down.”
Winters responds: “Come up” and is told “come down, come down the alleyway“, by McBride. McBride then shared a selfie and bragged it was “game time” seconds before the fatal stabbing.
View 10 ImagesJohnny Winters was stabbed through the heart by McBride
Winters arrived in the street armed with a hatchet and struck McBride with the blunt side of it. Evil McBride then stabbed him through the heart with a kitchen knife and ran off.
The killing on April 1, 2020, happened less than a month after Winters had appeared in court charged with possessing a knife and threatening violence.
A torture killer filmed his victim then took a video of himself smeared in blood.
Jordan Honeyman inflicted horror injuries on Alan Lawson, 36, at the thug’s home in Largs, Ayrshire in February 2024.
The 31-year-old then sent a chilling video on Instagram to another man who was also hit with a barrage of threats.
In the footage he appeared half naked and smeared in his victim’s blood while Mr Lawson lay curled up on the floor.
View 10 ImagesKiller Jordan Honeyman evaded arrest for two weeks. (Image: Police Scotland)
Honeyman then recruited others to clean up the property, transport the dying victim back to his own home and dump blood stained items into the sea.
While there, Honeyman made him soup before he was left dying on a bed in clothes not belonging to him.
Mr Lawson’s mother later found her son at his home. He tragically died in hospital having never recovered from his ordeal.
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Honeyman was jailed for life with a minimum of 25 years after he was found guilty of murder and torture charges last month.
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