The three people who murdered an Edinburgh man in a flat in the east of the city in July last year have today been sentenced. 

Ashleigh Wallace (27), Shaun Wallace (19) and Patrick Herbert (37) were all sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh to life imprisonment with a minimum of 18 years in prison after being convicted of the murder of Stephen Grant on 28 March 2019.

Mr Grant, who was 49, was found with multiple injuries in the rear garden of a flat on Magdalene Drive on Sunday 8 July 2018 and died in hospital a short time later.

He had arrived at the property at around 6pm that evening where he met his ex-partner Ashleigh Wallace, her brother Shaun, and friend Herbert.

A disturbance took place inside the flat during which time Mr Grant was attacked, suffering ten stab wounds to his body.

Shaun Wallace and Patrick Herbert then carried Mr Grant out of the flat and left him in the rear garden of the property shortly after 6.15pm.

Ashleigh Wallace then joined the two men in leaving the property before returning to the scene at around 1am the following morning where they were met by police officers.

The trio were arrested and subsequently charged with Mr Grant’s murder later that day (9 July 2018).

On 28 March 2019, after a 14-day trial, all three were found guilty of murder at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Detective Inspector Bruce Coutts from Corstorphine CID said: “We welcome the sentencing today of these people who have continued to deny this horrific crime and shown no remorse for their actions.

“Ashleigh Wallace, her brother Shaun Wallace, and Patrick Herbert subjected Mr Grant to a sustained and brutal attack, leaving him for dead in the back garden. The level of violence inflicted upon Mr Grant was shocking, and ultimately cost him his life.

“I’d like to thank the local community for their support whilst our investigations were ongoing, and the assistance and cooperation of Mr Grant’s friends and family. I hope that the conclusion of today’s proceedings will help them to move forward with their lives.

“Violent incidents cause fear to local communities and the unnecessary harm to individuals. There is no place for it in society and we will always ensure that perpetrators of violent crime are brought before the courts.”

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John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.