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| Pair beat and burned man to death | Pair beat and burned man to death |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Two men have been convicted of burning a father-of-two to death after a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh. | Two men have been convicted of burning a father-of-two to death after a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh. |
| Bryan Boyle, 18, and Greig Maddock, 21, set fire to Brian Bowie, 35, after dragging him from a flat in Dunfermline, Fife, last October. | Bryan Boyle, 18, and Greig Maddock, 21, set fire to Brian Bowie, 35, after dragging him from a flat in Dunfermline, Fife, last October. |
| Mr Bowie, who survived for five days after the attack, was found lying in a pool of blood on top of burning debris. | Mr Bowie, who survived for five days after the attack, was found lying in a pool of blood on top of burning debris. |
| The judge said a life sentence was mandatory but deferred fixing the minimum term for background reports. | The judge said a life sentence was mandatory but deferred fixing the minimum term for background reports. |
| The court had been told Mr Bowie was murdered for "having a drink too many" on the night he was due to attend his older brother's 40th birthday party. | The court had been told Mr Bowie was murdered for "having a drink too many" on the night he was due to attend his older brother's 40th birthday party. |
| The married man, who had daughters aged 13 and 17, suffered 32% full thickness burns to his body and died despite surgeons amputating an arm. | The married man, who had daughters aged 13 and 17, suffered 32% full thickness burns to his body and died despite surgeons amputating an arm. |
| We feel we have been vindicated and feel justice has been done today. We were not looking for revenge. We were looking for justice James Bowie | We feel we have been vindicated and feel justice has been done today. We were not looking for revenge. We were looking for justice James Bowie |
| A pathologist told the trial that because of the severity and depth of the burns the wounds were "unsurvivable". | A pathologist told the trial that because of the severity and depth of the burns the wounds were "unsurvivable". |
| Mr Bowie, of Iona Road, Dunfermline, had earlier been attacked with a bottle and repeatedly hit on the head with the weapon. | Mr Bowie, of Iona Road, Dunfermline, had earlier been attacked with a bottle and repeatedly hit on the head with the weapon. |
| He was also kicked and stamped on by Boyle. | He was also kicked and stamped on by Boyle. |
| The victim was then dragged in an unconscious or semi-conscious state out of flats. | The victim was then dragged in an unconscious or semi-conscious state out of flats. |
| He was knifed in the thigh leaving a deep wound that damaged a major vein and was subjected to a further beating. | He was knifed in the thigh leaving a deep wound that damaged a major vein and was subjected to a further beating. |
| Mr Bowie, who had suffered a serious head injury including a fractured skull and brain injury, was doused with lighter fuel and set on fire in a bid to get rid of him. | |
| He was discovered by youngsters and a 999 call was made. | He was discovered by youngsters and a 999 call was made. |
| Minimum term | Minimum term |
| Boyle and Maddock had denied murdering Mr Bowie. | Boyle and Maddock had denied murdering Mr Bowie. |
| Boyle was unanimously convicted of carrying out the murder by attacking Mr Bowie with weapons, kicking and stamping on his head and setting him alight. | Boyle was unanimously convicted of carrying out the murder by attacking Mr Bowie with weapons, kicking and stamping on his head and setting him alight. |
| His co-accused and best friend, Maddock, was found guilty by a majority verdict of the jury of carrying out the murder by pouring accelerant on him and setting it on fire. | His co-accused and best friend, Maddock, was found guilty by a majority verdict of the jury of carrying out the murder by pouring accelerant on him and setting it on fire. |
| The pair, who both have previous convictions for assault, were both on probation at the time they committed the murder. | The pair, who both have previous convictions for assault, were both on probation at the time they committed the murder. |
| After the verdicts Mr Bowie's father, James, 64, said: "We feel we have been vindicated and feel justice has been done today. We were not looking for revenge. We were looking for justice." | After the verdicts Mr Bowie's father, James, 64, said: "We feel we have been vindicated and feel justice has been done today. We were not looking for revenge. We were looking for justice." |
| After the verdicts the judge told Boyle and Maddock: "You have both been convicted of the crime of murder and there is only one sentence open to the court." | After the verdicts the judge told Boyle and Maddock: "You have both been convicted of the crime of murder and there is only one sentence open to the court." |
| Temporary judge Roger Craik said he would defer sentence on them to obtain reports before fixing the minimum term they will be required to serve of a life sentence. | Temporary judge Roger Craik said he would defer sentence on them to obtain reports before fixing the minimum term they will be required to serve of a life sentence. |