Drug debt murder gang jailed for total of 59 years

Three members of a crime gang have been jailed for a total of 59 years for a campaign of violence which left two men dead.

Barry Harvey, 35, fatally shot gym boss Gary More while Darren Owen, 23, killed Polish national Rafal Lyko.

Harvey and Thomas Guthrie were found guilty of the attempted murder of drug dealer Scott Bennett.

And Guthrie, 27, was also convicted of slashing lawyer Joe Shields, outside his office by Glasgow Sheriff Court.

Last month Harvey was convicted of shooting Mr More, 32, nine times on the doorstep of his home in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, on 6 September 2018.

The High Court in Glasgow heard the victim had run up a £100,000 drug debt.

Judge Lord Clark told Harvey - who viewed proceedings by video link - that he must serve 29 years before he is eligible to apply for parole.

He said: "These were extremely brutal offences done because of drug debts owed by the victims.

"Each shooting was meticulously planned in advance.

"Crimes involving the use of guns are of the upper most concern to the public and the court.

"The fact the sale of drugs causes these appalling acts of violence and planned assassinations due to this drug debt is deeply disturbing."

During the 12-week trial Guthrie - who was already serving a life sentence for his role as a getaway driver in the murder - was described as being "subservient" to the killer.

He had a minimum of eight years added to his earlier sentence of 21 years and seven months. It is due to expire in 2041.

Ex-Partick Thistle youth player Harvey was jailed in 2007 for nine years as a teenager for a knife attack.

The trial heard the hitman had built up a reputation as an enforcer.

It also emerged that he used his fee for the murder of Mr More to pay for cosmetic dental treatment in Turkey.

It is believed that the gang are linked to Barry and James Gillespie, who ran a global crime network before they vanished in Brazil.

Police Scotland last year said the brothers may have been killed while on the run.

The body of Rafal Lyko, 36, was discovered in a burned-out Mercedes in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, on 11 February 2019.

Prosecutor Lorraine Glancy said his murder was related to "drugs and drug debt".

Mr Lyko told his cousin that he was returning to Scotland to be set up with a job in Valencia to work off the debt.

But after being picked up in a stolen Mercedes GLE in Cambuslang, he was driven to meet his fate.

The hearing was also told that Owen was involved in the collection of the stolen car.

He was jailed for a minimum of 22 years.

Co-accused Thomas Wilson, 26, was found not guilty of Mr Lyko's murder.

Drug dealer Bennett, 43, was shot once in the head as he sat in his van outside a vets in Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, on 3 December 2018.

CCTV of the incident showed the dog breeder pulling into a parking space in his van and then being joined by another vehicle.

Harvey then emerged and was seen to point the firearm at Bennett's van.

The court heard the victim suffered a single gun shot wound to the left side of his face.

A joint minute of agreed evidence added: "The bullet entered his jaw, passed through his teeth and tongue and lodged in his neck."

Bennett fled the scene in his van immediately after the shooting.

Ms Glancy said: "He was sitting waiting for something or someone. What takes place is a pre-planned attempt at an execution.

"The Crown have established beyond reasonable doubt that this was committed by Guthrie, Harvey and Owen acting together - each had a role to play."

After the shooting, Harvey and his partner flew to Australia on holiday.

The trial also heard how lawyer Joe Shields, 68, was slashed outside his office close to Glasgow Sheriff Court on 19 July 2018.

Mr Shields defended a Scots crime gang headed by David Sell who was jailed for 16 years in 2018 for the abduction and torture of drug dealer Robert Allan.

Miss Glancy said: "Thomas Guthrie carried out this cowardly unprovoked assault on Mr Shields.

"We know from CCTV the attacker was waiting for some time for Mr Shields to emerge from his office at the end of the day."

The jury was told the solicitor's "significant" injuries included a cut from his ear to the corner of his mouth and another to the right temple which needed 10 stitches.

The advocate depute added that there was an obvious danger to his life had Mr Shields not received medical treatment.