Man who murdered taxi driver after being refused cigarette is jailed

A serial criminal who murdered a stranger after being refused a cigarette has been jailed for at least 16 years after being prosecuted under special double jeopardy laws.

Steven Greig, 47, left taxi driver Mark Ward severely disabled and requiring 24-hour care following a brutal assault in Dundee in April 2022.

Greig was under the influence of drugs when he pushed Mr Ward down a grassy embankment, causing the victim to strike his head off the road.

While lying defenceless on the ground, Greig repeatedly kicked his stricken victim.

A judge told a court Greig walked away “without stopping or showing any concern”, leaving Mr Ward “to his fate”.

Lady Drummond stated: “This was a senseless, violent, unprovoked attack on Mr Ward, who was a stranger to you.”

Mr Ward suffered catastrophic brain injuries and later required life-saving surgery.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said Mr Ward subsequently relied on round-the-clock nursing care and was unable to properly speak or digest food due to the severity of his disabilities.

In January 2023, Greig was sentenced to five years and four months in prison after pleading guilty to a charge of assault to severe injury, permanent impairment, permanent disfigurement and danger of life.

However, three months later and one year on from the initial attack, Mr Ward died at the age of 55 at Ninewells Hospital.

After a post-mortem examination found a direct link between the assault and Mr Ward’s death, Crown Counsel instructed that Greig be indicted for murder under the Double Jeopardy (Scotland) Act 2011.

Greig admitted culpable homicide but went on trial for murder and was convicted at the High Court in Dundee in January.

He returned to the dock at the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday, where he was handed a mandatory life sentence with at least 16 years behind bars.

Lady Drummond acknowledged a victim impact statement from Mr Ward’s sister and brother-in-law.

The judge said: “They describe him as a much-loved, highly intelligent, social and family man. He had been in employment all his life and a taxi driver for the last 20 years.

“The impact of the severe injuries you inflicted left him fully dependent on others for his care.

“Those injuries and his subsequent death had a devastating impact on his parents, sisters, brothers-in-law, nieces and wider family. They have been left in shock, enduring distress and with deep loss.”

Lady Drummond highlighted Greig’s “adverse childhood circumstances” and noted the father-of-two had abused drugs from an early age.

But the judge stated Greig was on five bail orders at the time of the offence, adding: “You have a long criminal record dating from 1993 to 2022.

“Your record of offending began when you were 13, coming before the courts aged 16 and continued unabated over 34 years.”

Despite having been offered “many community disposals”, the judge said Greig had continually “failed to engage and make long-term change”.

Lady Drummond also acknowledged the criminal justice and social work report, in which the author described Greig as “having shown no meaningful remorse” for his actions.

Moira Orr, who leads on homicide and major crime for COPFS, said: “This is a rare situation where someone has already previously been convicted of a crime and is prosecuted again under the same circumstances but for a different crime.

“As prosecutors, we have worked hard to deliver justice for Mark Ward and his family in what have been particularly traumatic circumstances for them since the assault in April 2022. Our thoughts remain with them at this time.

“Steven Greig’s appalling actions robbed a much-loved family man of his life following a shocking attack. He will now serve a lengthy prison sentence for his crime.”