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12/11/2007
Teenager Jailed For Life For Homophobic Murder
A teenager who murdered a gay council worker in a homophobic attack in Scotland has been jailed for life.
David Meehan, 19, from Perth had pleaded guilty to the murder of James Kerr, 51, in South Inch Park in the early hours of April 22.
At the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday, Meehan was jailed for life with a minimum sentence of 16 years.
His co-accused, Martin Soutar, 21, also from Perth, was sentenced to nine years in jail and three years on license after pleading guilty to culpable homicide.
A 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has is due to be sentenced in connection with the brutal attack on Tuesday. He has pleaded guilty to assault.
The court heard how the attack was triggered by the 15-year-old who allegedly claimed that Mr Kerr, an officer for Perth and Kinross Council, had "tried it on" with him as he walked through the park.
The teenager, accompanied by Meehan and Soutar, then went to the park and attacked Mr Kerr, leaving him in a pool of blood, suffering from major head injuries.
He was discovered later by a woman walking her dog and died in hospital later that day.
At sentencing on Monday, Judge Lord MacPhail said: "This was a killing of a callous and brutal character, which appears to have been marked by a homophobic element.
"This was a savage and sustained attack upon a defenceless man who had done you no harm."
(KMcA)
David Meehan, 19, from Perth had pleaded guilty to the murder of James Kerr, 51, in South Inch Park in the early hours of April 22.
At the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday, Meehan was jailed for life with a minimum sentence of 16 years.
His co-accused, Martin Soutar, 21, also from Perth, was sentenced to nine years in jail and three years on license after pleading guilty to culpable homicide.
A 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has is due to be sentenced in connection with the brutal attack on Tuesday. He has pleaded guilty to assault.
The court heard how the attack was triggered by the 15-year-old who allegedly claimed that Mr Kerr, an officer for Perth and Kinross Council, had "tried it on" with him as he walked through the park.
The teenager, accompanied by Meehan and Soutar, then went to the park and attacked Mr Kerr, leaving him in a pool of blood, suffering from major head injuries.
He was discovered later by a woman walking her dog and died in hospital later that day.
At sentencing on Monday, Judge Lord MacPhail said: "This was a killing of a callous and brutal character, which appears to have been marked by a homophobic element.
"This was a savage and sustained attack upon a defenceless man who had done you no harm."
(KMcA)
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