Christopher Knox killers get total of 31 years

TWO teenagers convicted of killing a schoolboy, whom one of them believed was a “grass”, have been jailed for more than 30 years.

John Paul McCowan, 17, returned to the dock yesterday after being found guilty of the murder of Christopher Knox in a school playground last June.

David Paton, 17, had been convicted of the culpable homicide of Christopher. The young victim was due to have been a witness against Paton in a forthcoming assault and robbery case.

• Read the judgment in full

A trial heard how Paton set out to intimidate Christopher – and later claimed the teenager “deserved” to be attacked.

McCowan, who stabbed Christopher through the heart, was yesterday jailed for life at the High Court in Glasgow. He was ordered to serve 17 years and nine months behind bars. Paton, who did not strike the victim but was convicted because he knew McCowan had a knife, was locked up for a total of 13 and a half years.

Judge Rita Rae branded the fatal attack “appalling”, causing a “needless death”, which occurred just two days after the victim’s 17th birthday.