'EXTREMELY BRUTAL'
Ex-footie starlet turned assassin jailed for cold-blooded shooting as gangland murder crew caged for 59 YEARS
The court was previously shown chilling CCTV as they carried out the shooting on a gym boss over a drug debt
THREE cold-blooded killers have been jailed for a minimum of 59 years after three gangland rivals were shot in the head.
Barry Harvey, 36, Thomas Guthrie, 28, and Darren Owen, 24, were sentenced today at the High Court in Glasgow for the murders of Gary More and Rafal Lyko plus a kill bid on Scott Bennett.
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Judge Lord Clark told the trio they had committed “extremely brutal offences” as he sentenced both Harvey and Owen to life imprisonment.
Hitman Harvey - who appeared via video link - will serve a minimum of 29 years for the More murder and 12 years for the kill bid on Bennett to run concurrently.
Owen will have to serve 22 years for his part in the Lyko murder and a concurrent nine years for the attempted murder of Bennett.
Guthrie, who had previously pleaded guilty to murdering More in an earlier case, had a further eight years added to his current life sentence.
Harvey, an ex-footie starlet who became an assassin for hire, was convicted of gunning down gym boss More, 32, on his doorstep later spending his earnings on a new set of "Turkey teeth".
Months later he was involved in the bid to murder drug dealer Bennett, 43, who survived being shot in the head.
Guthrie, already serving a life term as getaway driver in the More killing, was nailed for his role in the second attack and for slashing lawyer Joe Shields, 68.
Owen, 24, was found to have murdered Lyko, 36, who owed substantial drug debts.
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His remains were discovered in a burnt-out Mercedes.
He was also convicted of plotting with Harvey and Guthrie to try to kill Bennett, who still has a bullet lodged in his neck.
After they were convicted last month gym boss More's family hailed crimefighters for snaring the dad of two's killers.
Dad Lindsay and his wife Margaret said: "Nothing will bring Gary back or mend the devastation.
"But we take comfort now that justice has been served."
He added: "We will be forever grateful for the support from the police, seeing us through the most devastating time of our lives."
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Mum Angela and sister Lynsey hailed the "gentle giant".
We told how the gym boss, from Airdrie, had drug debts of around £100,000.
He was lured from his home by Neil Anderson, 45 - already given a life sentence for his role in the killing on September 6, 2018.
Jurors were shown chilling CCTV footage of hitman Harvey emerging from a Skoda, racing towards More and unleashing a barrage of nine shots before fleeing with Guthrie at the wheel. The motor was discovered burnt out later that night near a remote farm in Baldernock, Dunbartonshire.
It was found in the same spot where the gang had dumped a car used in the bid to kill solicitor Mr Shields months earlier.
He was slashed in the face by Guthrie outside his law firm's office close to Glasgow Sheriff Court in the city's Laurieston on July 19.
The brief had previously defended a crime gang headed by David Sell - who that year was caged for 16 years for abducting and torturing drug dealer Robert Allan.
Then, later that year, drug dealer and dog breeder Bennett managed to flee after being shot in the head in the car park of a vet's practice in Rutherglen, near Glasgow.
CCTV clips of the December 3 attack showed another vehicle pulling up alongside Bennett's van before shooter Harvey emerged and fired a shot.
Prosecutor Lorraine Glancy said: "The Crown have established beyond reasonable doubt this was committed by Guthrie, Harvey and Owen. Harvey was the gunman."
The court heard a bullet from a Glock pistol passed through Bennett's teeth and tongue, causing jaw fractures, and lodged in his neck.
Two months later Lyko was murdered and left in a burning car in a killing linked to "drugs and drug debt."
It is believed the gang has ties to notorious brothers Barry and James Gillespie, who led a global crime network but are now feared dead after vanishing in Brazil.
Former Partick Thistle youth player Harvey had been caged in 2007 for nine years as a teenager for a savage knife attack on Thomas McCairns.
Ms Glancy told how Harvey was a "cold-blooded killer", spending his hit cash on his house and a trip to Krakow, Poland, with his lover, plus new gnashers.
She said: "There was funding of Turkey teeth."
The hitman was described in court as an "enforcer" and "top dog", while "subservient" Guthrie did his bidding.
Detective Superintendent Andrew Patrick said: "The violence involved in these cases, which resulted in the death of two men, is absolutely senseless.
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"Although these were all targeted attacks, these individuals showed no regard for the communities and families affected."
In a warning to other thugs, he added: "No matter how much preparation you make, how many steps you take to frustrate an investigation, or how long it has been, we will not give up."
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