Jailed for life, killer who stabbed teenager and hid knife at Holyrood Palace

Daily Mail​

26-05-2025

A thug who killed a teenager and hid the murder weapon on the grounds of the King's home in Edinburgh has been jailed for life.
Because of his age, Bailey Dowling was locked up for a minimum of 15 years before he is eligible for parole after murdering Lewis McCartney,18, in a street attack two years ago.
A judge told the 21-year-old at the High Court in Edinburgh that his victim had 'everything to live for' and his loss was devastating for family and friends.
He told Dowling: 'It is clear you came to Edinburgh for what you hoped would be an enjoyable time and so it would have been but for the decisions you made.'
The killer, who was 19 at the time, had come to Scotland to visit a friend.
But he armed himself with a knife before he left a flat to meet a group, which included Mr McCartney, and stabbed his victim in the back.
Lord Matthews said: 'Taking a knife into the street is never acceptable.'
He told Dowling that the 15-year punishment part of the life sentence imposed on him was shorter than it would have been had he reached the age of 25.
Following the murder in February 2023, the Londoner abandoned the blade in the grounds of Holyrood Palace before fleeing Edinburgh.
But once back at home in the London, he handed himself in to police.
At an earlier trial he denied murdering his victim by striking him on the body with the knife and claimed he acted in self-defence after he was struck with a bottle.
However, he was convicted of murder and a further charge of unlawful possession of an offensive weapon last month.
Following the verdict advocate depute Alex Prentice KC said a statement was prepared by the victim's family to indicate the depth of feeling and strong, continuing sense of loss as a result of his death.
The court heard that Dowling, had travelled north of the Border to meet up with a friend and they later joined a woman at her flat in the Dumbiedykes area of Edinburgh where ketamine was taken.
Mr McCartney arrived at the flat with others although they later left.
When they returned Dowling went through to the kitchen and got a large knife before going outside to meet them.
Efforts were made to persuade him to leave the weapon but he said: 'I am not going downstairs without it. They just said they robbed somebody.'
He was later told there was no robbery.
Dowling claimed that he did not intend to harm the victim but was trying to get away after he was struck on the head with a bottle by another member of the group.
He said: 'I was dazed and confused after I was hit and then I took out the knife.'
And he disputed other evidence that he had the knife in his hand before he was struck with the bottle.
Francesca Palma, 21, who was staying at the flat told police that when Dowling returned to her home he looked panicked and told officers: 'The London guy said, 'I just stabbed that Lewis'.'
He had a knife with blood on it and was told to leave.
Dowling disposed of the knife in the palace grounds before catching a bus to Glasgow and travelling to London Euston train station.
He went to his mother's home before surrendering to police in London.
Dowling's defence counsel Mark Stewart KC said he was a first offender and told the court: 'He did not intend to stab anybody. He accepts the verdict of the jury. He does not agree with the verdict of the jury.'
A co-accused labourer Benjamin Wilson, 21, from Burntisland, in Fife, was convicted of assaulting Dowling by striking him on the head with a bottle to his injury on February 12 , 2023 during the incident. He was ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work under a two-year community payback order.