Cannibal killer who claimed he was possessed by occultist Aleister Crowley ate victim's finger during savage murder

By CONNOR GORDON AND GRANT MCCABE Published: 17:14, 14 July 2026 | Updated: 17:14, 14 July 2026 A cannibal killer who murdered a man then torched his flat is facing a life sentence. Gabriel Brown stabbed Joseph Johnston 22 times during a ‘punishment’ attack at the 58 year-old’s home in Annan, Dumfries and Galloway in November 2024. Sick Brown, 35, also chopped off the victim’s ring finger, cooked and ate it. The body of Mr Johnston - known as Ernie - was later discovered in the burned out flat. Such was the graphic nature of the details jurors had to endure, that the judge in the case excused them from ever having to take part in a jury again. Although Brown had never met Mr Johnston until the night of the attack, the victim had previously been in a relationship with his step-mother. The High Court in Glasgow heard that ex-bouncer Brown decided to target Mr Johnston amid claims of what he had been told about their time together. Brown - a convicted sex offender - had denied murder and had lodged a special defence that he had been suffering from a mental disorder at the time. The body of Mr Johnston - known as Ernie - was later discovered in his burned out flat Cannibal killer Gabriel Brown stabbed victim Joseph Johnston 22 times and also severed and ate his finger during a ‘punishment’ attack The killer told the court he had been possessed by the spirit of 19th-century born occultist Aleister Crowley, above, who he claimed had told him to take his victim's soul The killer told the court he had been possessed by the spirit of 19th-century born occultist Aleister Crowley, who apparently told him to ‘take Ernie’s soul’. However, jurors rejected his claims and today found him guilty of murder following the near two-week trial. Brown will learn the minimum time he will spend behind bars when he is sentenced next month. The trial was told how Mr Johnston and Brown’s step-mother had previously been together. She had at one stage pointed out to the killer where Mr Johnston lived. She had also referred to Mr Johnston using a derogatory name. Brown - who had been diagnosed with mental health issues when he was a teenager - had downed alcohol and smoked cannabis before he went to the victim’s home late at night. Mr Johnston allowed him in and the pair appeared initially to be getting on - even opting to take a photo together. However, later that night Brown launched what was described as a ‘savage’ attack on his defenceless victim. As well as the multiple stab wounds and cutting off a finger, the killer also carved letters onto Mr Johnston’s face. To try and cover up what he had done, Brown started fires in four different areas of the property including torching furniture, turning on cooker hobs and putting metal cutlery in a microwave. He also ripped out smoke alarms to prevent them going off before fleeing the scene and returning to his step-mother’s home. He also texted another person that night making an accusation about Mr Johnston and adding ‘he sleeps forever’. The body of Mr Johnston was later discovered in his charred kitchen. During the trial, Brown claimed to remember taking a knife out of the victim, but said he had ‘no recollection’ of putting the blade there. Asked by his KC Thomas Ross how the weapon would have got there, Brown stated: ‘I attribute it to Aleister Crowley. I put it down to possession. I have previous incidents which my friends have told me about.’ Questioned whose hand the knife was in, the killer added ‘Aleister Crowley’s. We share a body. When removing the knife it was my hand.’ Brown recalled hearing a ‘death rattle’ and Mr Johnston bleeding heavily. He went on to graphically describe what he did to the man’s left ring finger. He told the trial: ‘Later on I did something I would describe as a favour to him.’ Brown: ‘I removed and consumed his finger.’ The sick murderer admitted he ‘cooked’ the digit, but that ‘Aleister was going to take his soul’. The court heard Brown was arrested after being found sleeping in his step-mother’s attic. In cross examination, Brown refuted the accusation by prosecutor Eric Robertson that he had gone to ‘square up’ to Mr Johnston that night. After the verdict, it emerged Brown had previous been jailed for offences involving young girls. Lord Mulholland deferred sentencing for reports, but warned Brown he may never be released. He told him: ‘This was sustained, vicious and merciless attack on a defenceless man on his own home. ‘It was motivated, in your own words, by a desire to punish the victim for what you believed had happened to your step-mum during her relationship with him.’ ‘You brutally assaulted him with a knife, stabbing him at least 22 times, inflicting blunt force injuries and severing his finger. ‘The fact that it was his ring finger is evident of your motivation that it was a punishment attack. ‘Carving initials on his face is redolent of the extent of your savage attack.’ After Brown was taken back to the cells, Lord Mulholland said he was excusing jurors from further jury service for life due to the ‘harrowing and graphic’ evidence they had heard. Following the verdict, Police Scotland Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Graeme Robertson, said Brown will now 'face the consequences of his despicable actions'. He added: 'While this verdict does not change the outcome, I hope it brings Joseph's family some form of comfort.'