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Garage murderers jailed for life | Garage murderers jailed for life |
(30 minutes later) | |
Two men have been jailed for life for murdering one man and attempting to kill two others in a shooting at a Glasgow garage. | Two men have been jailed for life for murdering one man and attempting to kill two others in a shooting at a Glasgow garage. |
At the High Court in Glasgow, Raymond Anderson, 46, and 34-year-old James McDonald were told they must serve 35 years before being eligible for parole. | At the High Court in Glasgow, Raymond Anderson, 46, and 34-year-old James McDonald were told they must serve 35 years before being eligible for parole. |
Both had denied murdering Michael Lyons, 21, on 6 December 2006. | Both had denied murdering Michael Lyons, 21, on 6 December 2006. |
They were also found guilty of attempting to murder Steven Lyons, 27, and 42-year-old Robert Picket. | They were also found guilty of attempting to murder Steven Lyons, 27, and 42-year-old Robert Picket. |
The 35-year sentence is the biggest ever handed out in a Scots court - greater than the 30-year jail term given to Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi. | |
Lord Hardie said the killing of Mr Lyon at Applerow Motors had been a "cold-blooded, premeditated assassination". | Lord Hardie said the killing of Mr Lyon at Applerow Motors had been a "cold-blooded, premeditated assassination". |
"Such activity cannot and will not be tolerated in our civilised society," he said. | "Such activity cannot and will not be tolerated in our civilised society," he said. |
Det Chief Supt Campebell Corrigan on the sentence | Det Chief Supt Campebell Corrigan on the sentence |
"Decent law-abiding citizens are entitled to expect the court to remove you from society. | "Decent law-abiding citizens are entitled to expect the court to remove you from society. |
"That will not occur unless the public co-operates with the authorities in removing guns and gangsters from our streets. | "That will not occur unless the public co-operates with the authorities in removing guns and gangsters from our streets. |
"Failure to do so may result in death or injury to innocent people and those who stand by silently must bear some responsibility for such results." | "Failure to do so may result in death or injury to innocent people and those who stand by silently must bear some responsibility for such results." |
The attack happened at the garage owned by David Lyons, 48, the uncle of two of the victims. | |
He told the court that a "ransom note" was delivered to his home 10 days after the shooting. | |
Police surveillance | |
It read: "The boys owe me £25,000 and I want what's owed to me. It's for drugs. They all know what it's about as they have got to pay the piper." | |
The note gave details for a supposed money pick-up and contained a warning not to involve the authorities. | |
But Mr Lyons said he did not pay the money and handed the letter to police. | |
Following the shooting Anderson and McDonald came under surveillance. | |
Michael Lyons was shot at a garage in Glasgow | |
This eventually led officers to a house in the Garthamlock area where a machine gun, grenades and ammunition were discovered. | |
Anderson and McDonald were also heard calling themselves "The Untouchables" and talking about the mysterious "piper", who was mentioned in the letter sent to David Lyons. | |
Donald Findlay QC, defending McDonald, claimed that despite many hours of bugged conversations there was not a "single solitary scrap of evidence" linking him to the shooting. | |
But after nearly two-and-a-half days of deliberations the jury returned guilty verdicts against both men. | |
Outside court, Det Ch Supt Campbell Corrigan, the senior investigating officer into the shooting, hailed the result and called the incident a "indiscriminate act of absolute barbarism". | Outside court, Det Ch Supt Campbell Corrigan, the senior investigating officer into the shooting, hailed the result and called the incident a "indiscriminate act of absolute barbarism". |
Det Ch Supt Corrigan said: "We are committed to dealing with significant crime and this is a clear message that we will deal with it in any way we can." | Det Ch Supt Corrigan said: "We are committed to dealing with significant crime and this is a clear message that we will deal with it in any way we can." |