Celtic Fan, Samuel Hamiltion Murdered by convicted Rapist in Lanakshire.
Tragedy struck the Celtic Football Club community as one of its fans was brutally murdered on the doorstep of his home in Lanarkshire. Samuel Hamilton, 56, was repeatedly stabbed to death by convicted rapist Richard Wotherspoon, 33, after having watched the Rangers Europa League Final defeat. Samuel’s 82-year-old mother attempted to save her son’s life, but he unfortunately did not survive the attack.
Wotherspoon, who had a lengthy criminal history including a 2006 rape conviction, had been released from prison just weeks before he committed the crime. He was captured on CCTV fleeing the scene in Bellshill on May 18, 2022, but was later arrested and today pleaded guilty to the murder charge in the High Court of Glasgow.
The tragic events leading up to the murder began with an “incident” between Samuel and Wotherspoon in July 2021 outside the home of Samuel’s daughter. The altercation resulted in Wotherspoon being sentenced to 18 months in prison, but the term was backdated to when he was first remanded, resulting in his immediate release.
In the weeks leading up to the murder, Wotherspoon was seen in Samuel’s neighborhood, warning people that he intended to harm Samuel and that he was going to “get done.” On the night of the killing, Wotherspoon watched the Rangers vs Eintracht Frankfurt game on TV and then went to Samuel’s neighborhood. Samuel parked his car outside his home and was immediately confronted by Wotherspoon, who was in possession of a blade. Samuel was heard to “cry out” as Wotherspoon and his associate Taylor Rooney ran off, leaving Samuel to die from his wounds.
Wotherspoon was arrested two days later and was linked to the killing through bloodstains on his jogging bottoms and a phone. Samuel suffered a total of five stab wounds and could not be saved by the emergency services.
Wotherspoon’s motive for the murder appeared to stem from a brooding anger over the earlier incident with Samuel, and he will now face the consequences of his actions when he returns to the dock next month. Samuel’s family and friends were in attendance at the court hearing and declined to comment afterwards. Wotherspoon has been remanded in custody until his sentencing on April 19 in Lanark. Taylor Rooney had also been accused of being involved in the murder, but his not guilty pleas were accepted.
The Celtic Football Club community mourns the loss of one of its own, and the tragedy serves as a reminder of the importance of addressing the root causes of violent crime and the need for rehabilitation and support for those who have been convicted of crimes.
