Family welcomes inquiry into death of man murdered by neighbour on bail

The family of a man who was murdered by his neighbour has welcomed an inquiry into his death.

Nicholas Henry hit Daniel Greer with a shovel and stabbed him nine times in his own front garden in Greengairs, North Lanarkshire, in October 2020.

The killer then dragged the 33-year-old’s body back into the victim’s home, where his father found him two days later.

Henry was jailed for life after being found guilty of murder and ordered to serve a minimum of 21 years. He died in prison last month, aged 49.

Henry had previously been jailed for 12 years for an attack which left a victim with a severed hand. He was released on license around May 2017 with restrictions placed on him until February 2023.

He was arrested twice in the months leading up to Daniel’s murder – for drug and violent offences – but was released back into the public.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said the Lord Advocate had decided that the circumstances of Greer’s death should be further examined.

Speaking for the first time around the sixth anniversary of her son’s death, Daniel’s mum, Amanda Greer, said she hopes the inquiry will help protect other families from known offenders.

She said: “It’s not good enough to trust an electronic tag, a fortnightly check in with a social worker, or to blame overcrowded prisons – innocent people literally die because of bad decisions, and it needs to stop.”

She described Daniel as “the love of our lives” and a devoted big brother who lifted the moods of people around him.

“There are simply no words to describe the agony I felt after Daniel was murdered, and it’s a pain that has never diminished”, she added.

“There was simply no reason for this attack to have happened.

“People think the jailing of a killer can help you move on, but it doesn’t – closure of a jail cell does not bring emotional closure, not even close.”

Amanda said she was “stunned” to hear that Henry had a history of violence and that police were in contact with him for license breaches before he killed her son.

She has welcomed the fatal accident inquiry, describing it as bringing “hope and answers”.

She added: “Waiting all this time has been a real challenge, but knowing there’s hope and answers on the horizon means I know it will be worth the wait and the fight.

“Not just for Daniel but for the public.

“Good people up and down the country would rightly think that when police come into contact with known criminals – especially violent offenders – that common sense will kick in to deal with them properly, remove risks and keep people safe.”

The Greer family’s solicitor, Gordon Dalyell of Digby Brown, added: “What happened to Daniel was utterly horrific, and the strength of character that Amanda has shown is immeasurable.

“At this stage, there is a clear argument to be made that Daniel’s death would not have happened had reasonable steps been taken to address Henry’s repeat offending, especially when considered alongside the conditions of his early release license and criminal background.

“We will continue to support the Greer family as they seek to get answers and recognition.”