Man Jailed for 18 Years After Deadly Paintball Attack

On December 2, 2023, a violent incident occurred in Lanark, Scotland that resulted in the tragic death of 33-year-old Robbie Yuill. According to the court proceedings, 46-year-old Mark Allison attacked Yuill with a paintball gun at a property on Smyllum Road. The two men then got into a physical altercation, during which Allison stabbed Yuill, leading to his death from the stab wounds.

Allison initially denied the murder charge, claiming he had acted in self-defense. He told the court that he had gone to the scene after a friend asked for help getting Yuill out of a relative's home, and he had taken the paintball gun with him to scare Yuill, not to cause him harm. However, the judge determined that Allison had opened fire with the paintball gun when Yuill posed no threat, indicating Allison's intention to use violence.

After the incident, Allison disposed of the paintball gun and stayed at several hotels in the Lanarkshire and Dumfries areas. He claimed he was unaware of Yuill's death until he saw it on social media. Nonetheless, Allison's DNA was found on the knife's handle and sheath, contradicting his self-defense claims.

On November 17, 2025, the High Court in Glasgow sentenced Allison to 18 years in jail for Yuill's murder. The judge stated that Allison had gone to the scene with the clear intent to assault Yuill, and his actions were reckless to the consequences. Yuill's family has been left devastated by the tragic loss of life.