Connor Manners, 27, has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Gary Nicol, a father of three. The killing occurred on September 26, 2024, after Manners used a dating app to lure Nicol to a meeting near a primary school in Livingston, West Lothian.
Manners pleaded guilty to stabbing and slashing Nicol. At the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Renucci ordered that Manners must spend at least 20 years in prison, stating that he may never be released. "You may never be released," the judge warned.
Advocate depute Alan Cameron KC informed the court that while no witnesses could describe the encounter, evidence indicated Manners intended to cause harm. Cameron stated, "It is clear that the accused lured him there with an intention to do him harm." He added that Manners attended the meeting armed with a knife and a crossbow and repeatedly struck Nicol with the knife, resulting in his death. Lord Renucci characterized the act as a "brutal, premeditated and cowardly attack on an unsuspecting victim." Any future decision regarding Manners' release will be made by the parole board.