A CONVICTED killer has today been found guilty of murdering a Renfrewshire man and then chopping up his body.
David Collins attacked 32-year-old Kevin Bishop with a machete at his home in Paisley last July.
Kevin's torso was later discovered dumped in a bin outside the flat.
Collins, 46, told jurors he had been acting in self-defence at the time of the attack but was found guilty of murder following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
Prosecutor Gillian Ross then revealed Collins had been convicted of culpable homicide in 2002.
The thug was jailed for five years at the time after killing his father, also named David, with a sword.
READ MORE: Killer caged for 26 years for chopping up Kevin Bishop's body
A murder probe was launched last summer after Kevin had initially been reported missing by worried relatives.
Police found his torso dumped in a wheelie bin but his head, arms and legs were never recovered.
Collins was soon held for the killing.
It emerged he had effectively confessed to his ex-partner Anne Melville, telling her there had been a confrontation and that “Kevin died.”
Miss Melville went on to ask him: “What are you going to do? Fire him in a wheelie bin?”
But callous Collins insisted his victim's body parts were “already away.”
Despite what he said, Miss Melville told jurors she did not believe her ex.
The mum later went to Collins' flat with their daughter to give him a birthday present.
Miss Melville also brought with her a suitcase that belonged to him.
Collins took it into a bedroom and came back out sweating heavily.
Miss Melville recalled going in at one point and there was “something on the floor, wrapped in plastic.”
She told the court: “He lifted it and put in the suitcase.”
Miss Ross asked her: “Did you question him as to what he was doing?”
She replied: “No.”
The trio then went outside and Collins had the case with him.
Miss Melville said: “He put it in the bin...it looked heavy.”
Collins then poured a bottle of aftershave on top to mask any smell that might emerge.
But his former partner insisted: “I did not know what to do. I thought I will wait and see if the guy turns up. There was nothing that I could do.”
After police found the torso, Collins later branded Miss Melville “a grass.”
READ MORE: David Collins accused of murdering Paisley dad and chopping up body
The trial was told the cause of Kevin's death could not be confirmed.
While giving evidence in his own defence, Collins claimed Kevin had come at him first with a knife.
He insisted he only swung the machete to “scare” Kevin off.
Collins told the court it took just five minutes to hack off Kevin's head and around an hour to remove his limbs.
He is expected to be sentenced later today.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here