Fife murderer faces life behind bars for battering older man to death in Oakley

A violent offender is facing a life sentence after murdering a man in a remorseless attack in the Fife village of Oakley.

Christopher Brown, 36, attacked Henry White at a house in the west Fife village, repeatedly hitting the older man with his elbow, punching and kneeing him, then dragging him outside and abandoning him.

Mr White sustained multiple rib fractures, a collapsed lung and other injuries in the fatal attack on March 21 and 22 last year at the address in Erskine Wynd.

Brown had denied murdering Mr White, 57, but a jury at the High Court in Edinburgh convicted him by majority verdict.

He offered to plead guilty to culpable homicide but the Crown rejected the plea.

The trial judge, Lady Hood, adjourned the case to next month for the preparation of a background report, when she will impose a life sentence and announce the minimum term Brown must serve before he can become eligible to seek parole.

He is remanded meantime.

The judge told jurors it had been “a distressing and complex case” and that counselling was available for those who served.

Relentless attack

Advocate depute Michelle Brannagan told the court Brown has previous convictions for assault.

The prosecutor told jurors Mr White was subjected to a brutal and prolonged attack.

She said: “Henry White was knocked unconscious not once, not twice but on three separate occasions that night.

“You heard that when Henry White lay on the floor unconscious Christopher Brown dragged him from the hallway outside.”

Brown was at the home of his then-girlfriend Leanne McKenzie on the night the violence erupted.

Mr White had arrived at the house and was having a drink.

Ms McKenzie, 30, said Brown went for a bath but when he returned to join them he grabbed Mr White and said they were talking about him.

She said Brown elbowed the older man in the face “pretty hard”.

Mr White was knocked unconscious and when he came to, she asked him to go home.

But she said the situation got worse and he was hit again and fell to the floor and Brown kneed him.

In a statement released through Police Scotland at the time, Mr White’s loved ones said: “Henry was a deeply loved and respected member of our family.

“He will be much missed.”

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