A teenager has confessed to the murder of a man using a hunting knife in Edinburgh while awaiting trial for attacking another teenager with a knife earlier in the year.
The 17-year-old, whose identity is protected due to being a minor, pursued and fatally wounded 22-year-old John McNab by repeatedly stabbing him on Great Junction Street in Leith, Edinburgh, on September 2, 2025.
This fatal incident occurred four months after the teenager was released on bail following a knife assault on a 16-year-old boy at Portobello Beach. He has pleaded guilty to both crimes and is set to receive an automatic life sentence during his sentencing next month.
During the court hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh, it was revealed that before the stabbing, Mr. McNab pleaded with his assailant, stating, “Please, please don’t. I haven’t done anything.” The assailant, who was 16 at the time of the attack, messaged a friend afterward detailing the events.
Distressing CCTV footage of the attack on Mr. McNab was shown in court, leading some of the victim’s loved ones to leave the courtroom. Many wore T-shirts in memory of the victim, according to reports.
In the prior incident on March 21, 2025, the teenager pursued a 16-year-old boy and caused serious injuries. Following his arrest, he was granted bail by a sheriff at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on April 25, 2025.
Prosecutor Michelle Brannagan disclosed that before the murder, Mr. McNab had been socializing with friends, and a meeting was arranged for the teenager to purchase cannabis from one of Mr. McNab’s acquaintances.
An altercation erupted when the teenager arrived wearing a balaclava to buy drugs with cash. One of Mr. McNab’s friends tore up the money and slapped him during the disagreement. The prosecutor clarified that Mr. McNab was not involved in the confrontation.
Mr. McNab and his friends attempted to distance themselves from the situation but were followed by the teenager, who threatened them. They sought refuge in a flat and locked the door, only to later spot him outside.
Mr. McNab informed his girlfriend that they had been pursued with a samurai sword and identified the teenager as the aggressor.
Subsequently, the teenager vandalized a window at the flat and armed himself with a knife from a rucksack, waiting for Mr. McNab to exit. When Mr. McNab emerged, the teenager, still wearing a balaclava, chased and attacked him.
Witnesses heard pleas for help from Mr. McNab before he collapsed. Paramedics discovered he had sustained multiple stab wounds, leading to his death despite resuscitation efforts.
Police statements at the scene indicated the teenager’s involvement in the attack, emphasizing that Mr. McNab was not at fault in the prior altercation.
A post-mortem examination revealed the fatal wound’s severity, causing significant bleeding due to damage to vital arteries and veins.
Sentencing for the teenager has been postponed pending a report at the High Court in Dundee, with a possibility of lifting reporting restrictions on his identification.