Piper punched and kicked to death
A piper killed a fellow band member in an attack after criticising his playing during a competition.
Keith Drysdale, 38, punched, kicked and hurled a chair at James Mearing during a band practice in the Pipe Room at Redford Barracks, Edinburgh, last May.
Mr Mearing, 51, died in hospital three days later from a brain haemorrhage.
Drysdale, of Parkhead Loan, Edinburgh, was originally charged with murder, but the Crown accepted his guilty plea to a reduced charge of culpable homicide.
Brain bleeding
Advocate depute Neil Beardmore told the High Court in Edinburgh: "This is a tragic case, in which Mr Mearing was the victim of a sustained attack.
"The accused had opportunities to walk away but returned to continue the assault."
Mr Mearing, a former civil servant, had a lifelong interest in playing the bagpipes and was well-known in piping circles, the court heard.
He had started his own business playing at weddings and other events and also busked in Edinburgh city centre where he was regarded as "a semi-permanent fixture" in the Princes Street area.
The court heard that both men were guest pipers with a Territorial Army band, the 71st Royal Engineers Pipe Band.
Witnesses describe the accused as acting as the aggressor throughout this incident. Band members state that he worked himself into a frenzy
Advocate depute Neil Beardmore
Mr Beardmore said that on 28 May the two men played with the band at a competition at Bathgate, in West Lothian, but its placing was "disappointing".
He said: "The deceased acknowledged that this was in part due to his own misplaying, which he in turn blamed on the cold in his fingers and the medication he was on."
The advocate depute said it was "widely known in the band" that Mr Mearing suffered from a heart condition and was being treated for high blood pressure.
At the following midweek practice session, an argument developed and Drysdale attacked Mr Mearing, grabbing him as he sat and punching him forcefully in the face.
Mr Beardmore said: "Witnesses describe the accused as acting as the aggressor throughout this incident. Band members state that he worked himself into a frenzy."
The judge, Lord Hodge, deferred sentence on Drysdale for the preparation of a background report.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/u ... 802004.stm
am I that transparent? 
