A teenager has confessed to the murder of a man using a hunting knife in Edinburgh while he was out on bail for attacking another teenager previously. The 17-year-old, whose identity is protected due to his age, pursued and killed 22-year-old John McNab by repeatedly stabbing him with a knife on Great Junction Street in Leith, Edinburgh, on September 2, 2025.
This 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 admitted to both crimes and is set to receive a mandatory life sentence during his sentencing next month.
During the court proceedings at the High Court in Edinburgh, it was revealed that before the stabbing, Mr. McNab pleaded with his attacker, saying, “Please, please don’t. I haven’t done anything.” The assailant, who was 16 at the time, messaged a friend after the attack detailing the violent encounter.
Distressing CCTV footage of the assault on Mr. McNab was shown in court, causing some of the victim’s friends and family to leave due to the graphic nature of the evidence. Many of them wore T-shirts in memory of the victim.
In the earlier incident on March 21, 2025, the teenager had pursued and seriously injured a 16-year-old boy. Following this, he was granted bail by a sheriff at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on April 25, 2025.
The court heard that before the murder, Mr. McNab had been socializing with friends, and a meeting was arranged for the teenager to purchase drugs from one of Mr. McNab’s acquaintances. A dispute erupted, leading to a confrontation where Mr. McNab was not involved.
Subsequently, Mr. McNab and his friends tried to evade the teenager who was pursuing them aggressively. The situation escalated as the youth threatened them, leading them to seek refuge in a flat. Despite their efforts to stay safe, the teenager persisted and eventually launched the fatal attack on Mr. McNab.
Following the assault, paramedics arrived at the scene and discovered that Mr. McNab had sustained multiple stab wounds, with one of them proving to be fatal. Despite efforts to save him, Mr. McNab tragically succumbed to his injuries.
The judge, Lord Harrower, has postponed sentencing for the teenager to allow for a report to be prepared, with a decision on the lifting of reporting restrictions on the youth’s identification pending.
