Mark Squires' murder has '˜destroyed' his elderly mum who he cared for

The devastated family of an Edinburgh carer who was punched and kicked to death by an amateur boxer have told of their torment at his murder.
Mark Squires was killed near the Longstone InnMark Squires was killed near the Longstone Inn
Mark Squires was killed near the Longstone Inn

Mark Squires was leaving a fundraiser when Nico Allan, 24, set about him with a vodka bottle outside a pub in Longstone in what police called a “senseless and unprovoked attack”.

Mr Squires’ older siblings told the Scottish Sun on Sunday that their brother’s brutal murder had left the family “in bits” and had “destroyed” their mum Chrissy, 75. Sister Susan Mackay, 50, said: “This has destroyed my mum. He didn’t just take Mark’s life, he took her life too. She will still make a cup of tea for him ... It’s so sad.

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“I saw Mark every day ... My life has stopped since that night. I don’t go out anymore. I’m in bits all the time. I’m so angry - I just can’t believe he’s gone.”

Hearts’ fan Mr Squires, who was his mum’s carer, endured “innumerable” fractures to his face and suffered a heart attack during the attack that took place after he tried to break up an altercation between three men. He had been on his way home after attending a charity night he had organised in aid of a friend who had died suddenly.

Allan had denied murdering Mr Squires in October 2017 but was convicted at Edinburgh High Court on Friday. His co-accused, Aiden Welsh, 25, was acquitted of murder after a jury returned a not proven verdict.

A third man, Liam Tierney, 21, had also faced a murder charge but was acquitted during the trial. The court heard that Mr Squires had “done nothing to warrant” the attack.

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Brother Colin Squires, 56, told the Scottish Sun: “I’m happy we got a charge of murder but there were three men charged ... but two were acquitted. It doesn’t feel like we have justice for Mark.”

Mr Squires’ other sister Sharon Squires-Camara, 54, told the newspaper: “The murder took its toll on all of us but our mum has really gone downhill. Things are that bad with her that we simply don’t know what we’re going to do.

“One minute she is fine and then she has a memory of Mark and she’ll burst into tears. Some days she will even go into his room thinking he’s there. Since Mark’s death it’s been a nightmare for her.

“He was her carer and he knew how to keep her calm and help her.”

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On the night of the murder, Mr Squires’ siblings had rallied round their brother to support him at the event he had organised. Mrs Squires-Camara said: “Mark wasn’t the type of guy to go out every weekend. That night out was a one-off. He had organised the fundraiser for his pal and we all knew he was stressed about it so we agreed to go to it and support him.” It was the last time they would see their brother.

Colin said: “He was just a big friendly gentle giant. He was liked by everyone who knew him and that was clear at his funeral - Mark was just a genuine guy and no one had a bad word to say about him.

“We were still grieving for our dad when Mark was murdered. It’s been really hard.”