An assassin who changed his name to that of a deranged killer from a Hollywood film has been jailed for life for blasting a man to death in his own home.
Garland Greene, 44, shot childhood friend Paul Cairns in the chest after calmly walking into the house in Ardrossan, Ayrshire, on May 24 last year.
Paul, 42, was gunned down in front of his partner Victoria Woods, Greene’s cousin.
Victoria, 46, passed away before the trial began but her recorded testimony played a crucial role in snaring the killer as she recognised him despite being masked.
Greene was yesterday jailed for a minimum of 22 years for what a judge called a “cold-blooded killing”.
He had initially appeared in the dock days after the murder under his name James Ferguson but by the time he stood trial at the High Court in Glasgow he was known as Garland Greene – a fictional killer from the 1997 film Con Air played by Steve Buscemi.
Jurors heard how Greene turned up at the house wearing blue overalls, a white face mask and a black beanie hat.
A decorator painting the couple’s home answered the door to him.
Paul had been living with Victoria at the time due to her health problems. In evidence played to the court, she recalled the killing.
Victoria said: “He had a gun. I screamed at him and said, ‘I am ill. Get out my f***ing room’.
“I just froze when he came in, I just froze. He said to Paul, ‘You were f***ing warned’. Paul said, ‘No’, and he shot him.”
Victoria said she knew Greene was responsible, adding: “He is my cousin. I know his eyes, his voice and his build.”
She also said that Greene and her partner had been friends since they were aged four.
It emerged that Greene had threatened a man so he would take him to Ardrossan on the day of the murder.
Greene denied the killing but other evidence also linked him to the crime, including the dumped shotgun as well as bullets being found.
Prosecutor Alan Cameron described the case against Greene as “overwhelming”.
After the guilty verdict, Mr Cameron said Greene had previously been jailed for four years at the High Court for violence.
Laura Anne Radcliffe, defending, yesterday told the court: “He is aware there is only one sentence. I am bound by his initial instructions which is one of denial.”
Jailing Greene, of Kilwinning, Ayrshire, judge Lord Burns said: “This is a crime which plainly was a carefully planned shooting with a shotgun and ammunition for the purposes of killing Paul Cairns in his own home.
“You discharged the gun at point blank range. This was a premeditated and cold-blooded killing. Your responsibility for the murder has been established to the satisfaction of the jury on the most clearest of evidence.”
David Green, Procurator Fiscal for homicide, said Greene’s attack was “extremely violent and calculated”.
He added: “Thanks to the diligent work of investigators and prosecutors, the evidence against him was overwhelming.
“The sentence imposed upon Greene is reflective of the brutal, pre-meditated nature of his crime.”
