UK: Man hacked to death in front of son

A man was hacked to death after trying to break up a gang of youths near his home in Glasgow, police said today.

John Purcell, 40, was set upon after stepping in to quell a disturbance involving youngsters in Glasgow’s Easterhouse housing scheme.

Mr Purcell, of Millennium Gardens, was attacked at about 10.35pm on Saturday as he walked home on Easterhouse Road after visiting his children.

His 11-year-old son, also John, today told how he witnessed his father being beaten in the attack which has left the local community shocked.

The boy told Glasgow’s Evening Times newspaper: “My dad had been visiting and had given me pocket money. He left the house and I was watching out of the window as a gang came towards him.

“He was struck from behind with something that looked like a chopper.”

Mr Purcell was taken to Glasgow Royal Infirmary but died a short time later.

Detective Inspector Tom Docherty, of Strathclyde Police, said: “Inquiries reveal that there was an altercation involving a group of youths in Easterhouse Road around the time of the assault.

“The community are shocked by the death of Mr Purcell, who was trying to do the neighbourly thing and disperse youths involved in this disturbance.”

He appealed for any witnesses or anyone with information to come forward.