Street killer brothers locked up

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Two teenage brothers who admitted killing a father-of-three outside a secondary school in Glasgow have been locked up for a total of 16 years.

Mark Farrell, 16, and John Farrell, 18, attacked Patrick Friel with a knife and hammer outside St Roch's secondary.

The younger brother was detained for 10 years and John Farrell was ordered to spend six years behind bars.

Their father, John Farrell senior, was jailed for 32 months for his part in the fatal assault.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that the brothers chased Mr Friel, 25, along a street before the eldest hit him with a hammer then the younger brother knifed him in the back.

Had you not reacted in the foolish way you did, and armed yourself with a hammer, this incident would not have happened Judge Lord McEwan

An earlier hearing was told that on the morning of the attack in November 2007, Mrs Andrea Farrell had phoned 999 after hearing Mr Friel banging on doors in their close in Royston Road.

John Farrell senior armed himself with a hammer and set off in pursuit of Mr Friel because he believed he was going to attack the family home.

He attacked Mr Friel with the hammer, before Farrell senior fell to the ground.

As he lay in the street his sons took up the pursuit and chased Mr Friel along a busy Glasgow city street.

John Farrell junior hit Mr Friel with a hammer on the head and body and his brother struck the fatal blow, knifing him in the back.

Bad feeling

Mark Farrell, who was 15 at the time, and pupil at St Roch's secondary near to where the attack took place, admitted killing Mr Friel.

John Farrell junior also admitted culpable homicide on the basis he was acting along with his brother.

Judge Lord McEwan described the killing as "a deeply distressing matter".

He told John Farrell senior: "Had you not reacted in the foolish way you did, over a fear which was unfounded, and armed yourself with a hammer, this incident would not have happened."

Addressing John Farrell junior Lord McEwan said: "Although you did not stab this man to death, you wielded a hammer while he was being stabbed to death."

He told Mark Farrell: "You stabbed this man to death. In your favour you have never denied that."

Prosecutor Kevin McCallum told the court there was a history of bad feeling between the two families.