A man has been sentenced to eight years in prison following the Glasgow culpable homicide NHS worker case, in which 34-year-old Darren McDade admitted killing 29-year-old Kyle Zybilowicz at the victim’s flat in Dumbreck Court on 22 July 2023.
McDade, who initially stood trial for murder, was convicted of the lesser charge of culpable homicide under provocation after claiming he acted in self-defence during a violent altercation with Mr Zybilowicz, an NHS employee.
Self-Defence Claimed in Fatal Flat Encounter
The High Court in Glasgow heard that McDade and Zybilowicz had made contact online but had never met in person before the incident. On the night of the killing, McDade visited Zybilowicz’s flat alone, allegedly to obtain cocaine, after being out with a friend at a city centre casino.
McDade told the jury that upon arriving at the flat, Mr Zybilowicz made unwanted advances, which he rejected. A confrontation then escalated, during which McDade claimed Zybilowicz bit him and reached for scissors. McDade said he grabbed them first and struck Zybilowicz, not knowing how many times. The victim suffered multiple injuries, including a fatal wound to the eye.
‘Herculean Effort’ to Destroy Evidence
Following the killing, McDade attempted to evade police by disposing of evidence. He took Zybilowicz’s phone and discarded it in a taxi, hid the scissors behind an electricity box in Maryhill, and later burned his clothes in the Campsie Fells after buying matches and turpentine from a supermarket. The prosecution described these actions as a “Herculean effort” to destroy evidence, which McDade admitted during the trial.
Prosecutors also revealed that McDade told others he had been threatened by Zybilowicz via text, though this claim was not substantiated in court.
Family Devastated by Loss of ‘Kind and Generous’ Man
Sentencing McDade, Lord Scott acknowledged the profound grief felt by the Zybilowicz family. “He was a kind, generous, loving man who made people laugh. His death has had a significant and enduring impact on his family, including three nieces who will never know their uncle,” the judge said.
Lord Scott added: “There is no sentence that can lessen the impact of the death of a much-loved son, brother, uncle, and colleague.”
