A Lanarkshire mum has warned of a "life or death situation" after discovering that one of her dad’s killers has been housed just yards from a family member.
Karen McGuire was furious to learn that Christopher Abraham is now living opposite her 32-year-old son in Rutherglen after being released from prison.
Abraham and his younger brother Robert were both jailed for 10 years after admitting the culpable homicide of David Linning, 65, at his East Kilbride home in 2009.
The duo punched, kicked and slashed the well-known football referee with a blade after mistakenly believing he had assaulted their mother.
They travelled to confront him at his home after receiving a text message saying she had a “sore face” but later found out she had fallen while drunk.
Daughter Karen, who was there when her dad’s body was discovered two days after the attack, told how the housing blunder is causing heartache for the whole family.
The 56-year-old said: “Housing one of my dad’s killers next to my son is shocking.
“That’s the whole reason my son moved out of East Kilbride in the first place - to put as much distance between him and the killing as possible.
“The bottom line is that this has consumed our lives for 12 years and now we’ve got this to deal with. It was actually a neighbour who told my son who was living there around four or five weeks ago.
“I’ve contacted the council and was told someone would call me back two weeks ago but I’m still waiting.
“My son’s housing officer is the same as Abraham’s. I don’t know if this lady was unfamiliar with the situation but she certainly knows all about it now.
“Both of my dad’s killers knew my son and my whole family before the killing so they know exactly who he is. He was 17 at the time.
“Christopher Abraham lives there but his brother Robert visits almost every day. They’re off their sentence for my dad now so we’ve no protection. That finished in December last year.
“My son’s windows look into his and he’s got to walk by him in the street. He suffers from quite bad mental health issues.
“My dad got killed and then there was a backlash from the Abraham brothers’ friends which destroyed my son. It forced him into isolation and alienation for six or seven years.
“My son was trying to get his life back in order and then this happened. It’s knocked him right back. Our whole family is upset about this
“People are saying I need to let my dad’s death go and move on. But how can I when it’s in your face like this? This is a 100 per cent life or death situation. The anxiety is beyond any sort of a measure. I’ve not slept for weeks.”
The mum-of-four told how her son had submitted an application form to be moved from the area over two years ago after discovering the younger Abraham brother lived close by.
But she claims South Lanarkshire Council has told them they need to resubmit it.
Karen said: “They’re saying that they haven’t received my son’s transfer application from two years ago. We filled in the forms and I posted them myself just before the start of the pandemic.
“We asked for the move because the younger one had been housed in another area of Rutherglen. I suggested to my son that he should look to move from the area because he wouldn’t be able to avoid them.
“They’re now saying he’s to put in another form and my argument is that we shouldn’t have to because it was their mistake.
“If something happens to my son and he’s killed, I will sue them until my last breath. It’s just an awful, awful situation to be in.
“I find it totally disgusting that South Lanarkshire Council can do this. It’s just wrong.”
Karen fears the stress of the situation may tip her vulnerable son over the edge and has had to revert to extreme measures to avoid coming face to face with the killers.
She explained: “My son won’t speak to a doctor. He doesn’t trust any living human being. His only companion is his dog. He only goes out to walk it or go to the shop.
“But now, he’s having to put his hood up and try to disguise himself so they don’t see him. He’s got a son who can’t go visit him because they’re worried that he’s walking and he meets these people.”
A spokesperson for South Lanarkshire Council said: “We are aware of this situation and are taking urgent measures to try and resolve it.”
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