Ex-policeman murdered with baton

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A man who beat a former policeman to death with his own baton has been sentenced to life imprisonment.

John Mackie, 33, was found guilty of murdering Mike Mosey, 58, at his home in Braehead, near Forth, Lanarkshire, on 12 or 13 August last year.

Mr Mosey's dying words to his son Daniel named Mackie as his attacker.

Lord Hardie said Mackie had launched a frenzied attack on a vulnerable man and told him he must serve 18 years before being eligible for parole.

A jury at the High Court in Glasgow took 45 minutes to return an unanimous guilty verdict.

'Evil man'

The court heard Daniel Mosey, 29, found his father lying on the floor.

"I asked him, dad, who's done this to you. It was then he named Mackie," he said.

"I'll never forget his words as long as I live.

"I phoned my sister Rachael, held the phone near dad's mouth and asked him to repeat the killer's name.

"For the second time he named Mackie. Dad never spoke again but thankfully his dying words helped to convict this evil man."

A pathologist said Mr Mosey had been struck seven times.

Mr Mosey, who worked for Merseyside Police, was in a coma on a life support machine for nine days.

His son said: "It was an awful way to go for a man who was loved by his family and helped the community so much."

The truncheon used to kill Mr Mosey had been signed by his colleagues when he left the force.

Mr Mosey turned to alcohol after his wife Frances died in 2005, the court was told.

Lord Hardie said: "It is clear Mr Mosey was a useful member of society and had given public service.

"In later years he had certain difficulties and certain members of the community where you live, including you, took advantage of him, sponging off him."