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Drink-and-drugs-fueled knife-wielding attacker who stabbed 20-year-old to death in Perth flat jailed

Online Niel November 6, 2024

An out-of-control drink-and-knife drug-fuelled attacker has been jailed for life after savagely stabbing a young man to death.

Caleb Ferguson has been ordered to serve at least 16 years before becoming eligible to apply for parole after murdering 20-year-old Cameron Rae in a Perth flat.

As Ferguson was led from the dock of the High Court in Edinburgh to begin his sentence, shouts of “f*****g put” and “f*****” were directed at him from the public benches g burn”.

Ferguson, who was 18 at the time of the murder, stabbed his victim three times in the torso, one wound causing fatal internal damage.

A judge told the killer that a victim impact statement provided by the deceased’s mother on behalf of his family described the continuing daily impact of losing her much-loved son and brother.

Lord Scott said: “She says Cameron’s death has torn their family apart.”

Caleb Ferguson stabbed Cameron Rae to death. Police Scotland

The judge said a background report prepared on Ferguson complemented evidence heard at his previous trial about excessive alcohol and cocaine use at the time of the murder.

Lord Scott said: “In your 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 her: “I disregard what you told the report writer about selling drugs for a long period of time to provide you with a substantial income.”

Ferguson, now 20, had previously denied murdering Mr Rae on April 8 last year at a flat in South Methven Street, Perth, by repeatedly stabbing his body with a knife, but was found guilty of murder.

At the start of the trial, he admitted killing the victim after pleading guilty to the lesser offense of manslaughter, but the Crown denied this.

Cameron Rae was stabbed three times and died from his injuries. STV news

After the fatal attack, Ferguson fled the streets of Perth before turning up hours later at Arbroath police station wearing a change of clothes and claiming he had been out on a night out in the Angus town and needed help getting back in Perth.

The court heard that after the murder, Ferguson told his sister in a phone call that he had “dumped” the victim.

One witness said he was in a Perth bar 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 ran into Mr Rae, who had also been drinking and invited him back to the property.

The witness said at one point he left Ferguson and Mr Rae in the flat while he went to complete a drug deal. He returned to find Mr. Rae injured and Ferguson looking angry.

Solicitor depute Greg Farrell told jurors at the earlier trial: “Caleb Ferguson said something about Cammy telling himself that his father was a drug addict and that seems to be the only explanation Caleb Ferguson has given as to why he stabbed her on Cameron Rae to death.”

The prosecutor said: “The evidence in this case shows a criminal attack which proves that the accused Caleb Ferguson either intended to kill Cameron Rae or was reckless as to whether he lived or died.”

Richard Goddard KC, defending, said there was evidence that both the witness and Ferguson were on the phone immediately after the incident with emergency services trying to get help for the deceased.

Mr Goddard asked the judge to take Scottish youth sentencing guidelines into account and said: “I would invite your Lordship to consider that this young man who appears to have had adverse childhood experiences and who, at the time of this offence. took place, he was in poor health.”