Boys aged just 14 and 15 beat dogwalker to death in savage attack

THREE teenagers were jailed for a total of 31 years for the brutal killing of a man out walking his dog.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that two children, then aged 14 and 15, and 17-year-old John Gallagher carried out a brutal, sustained assault on 30-year-old Anthony Ford in an apparent revenge attack.

Gallagher, who blamed Mr Ford for an attack on his father in 2007 which left him needing round-the-clock care, led the vicious assault after he and friends met him accidentally in the street.

After a jury trial Gallagher was convicted of the culpable homicide of Mr Ford and his two friends, who are both now 15, were convicted of murdering him.

Sentencing them, temporary judge John Beckett, QC, ordered Gallagher to be jailed for nine years. He detained the younger attackers, now 15, without limit of time and ordered them each to serve at least 11 years before being eligible to apply for parole.

Judge Beckett told Gallagher: "You initiated the events which resulted in your young friends being convicted of murder.

"You acted out of revenge for a perceived wrong when you had evidence which could have brought him to justice for a crime for which he was acquitted. You chose to deny the court relevant information and you took the law into your own hands.

"If it was not for you and your actions, I am quite sure that Mr Ford would not have been killed. You chased him. You enlisted help. You took part in a concerted assault on him.

"There is no reference to any expression of remorse in the social inquiry report. Your conduct was despicable and merits severe punishment."

Judge Beckett added that the victim in this case was a much-loved son and brother, and his family were devastated at his death.

He told the younger defendents that in determining the punishment part of their sentences he took account of their age and the fact that the 14-year-old had been doing well at school.

Judge Beckett added: "This was a crime committed by a group of youths in circumstances where Anthony Ford had no chance of escape. He was overwhelmed by the force of numbers and the violence used against him."

The court heard that the accused chased Mr Ford, threw scaffolding poles at him, knocked him to the ground and then as he lay helpless the 14-year-old – after handing his mobile phone to girls standing nearby – swung the killer blow which fractured his skull.

The 15-year-old continued to punch Mr Ford on the face as he lay unconscious.

He suffered broken ribs and facial bones in addition to the skull fracture that killed him.

A fourth teenager, 18-year-old Daryl Barney, was convicted of assaulting Mr Ford and sentenced to 300 hours community service.

The attack, described by Judge Beckett as "an act of considerable and sustained violence", took place in Govan on 7 July last year.