Pair found guilty of labourer's murder in city street

Tuesday 16 October 2012

TWO men are facing life sentences after being found guilty of murdering a labourer as he came home from a night out.

DEFENCELESS: Adel Ishaq and Asif Rehman repeatedly punched, kicked and stamped to death Irish labourer William McKeeney outside his flat in Pollokshields, Glasgow.

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Campbell Thomas

Asif Rehman, 20, and Adel Ishaq, 19, beat William McKeeney to death "as if breaking up furniture" as his partner watched from her window.

Irishman Mr McKeeney, 57 – described as "a pal to everyone" – was repeatedly punched, kicked and stamped to death, with injuries so severe that footprints were left on his head.

Moments before the attack on January 15 he had phoned girlfriend Anne Marie Newlands to say he was coming home with a fish supper.Miss Newlands, 48, had described seeing "two Asian men stamping on something" outside the couple's flat in Pollokshields, Glasgow.She made out a dark object on the ground and rushed out to discover her partner of 12 years lying fatally injured. "He was very battered and the side of his face was all swollen," she told the High Court at Kilmarnock.Advocate depute Tim Niven Smith said Mr McKeeney was "yards from the sanctuary of his home" when he was attacked.Mr McKeeney's final words were captured on one of the accused's mobiles as he asked them: "What's the problem, lads?"Imran Khan, 19, earlier told the court Rehman phoned to say he and Ishaq had just "splattered" someone in the street.Boyhood friends Rehman and Ishaq bowed their heads but showed no emotion as the jury verdicts were read out following a nine-day trial. The jury took two hours and 50 minutes to find Rehman guilty unanimously and Ishaq guilty by a majority. The racially-aggravated element of the charge was deleted.The judge, Lord Uist, told the pair: "You have been found guilty by the jury of the crime of murder. The sentence for murder is fixed by law and I will in due course impose that on you."Lord Uist said that because both accused were under 21 he was obliged to order social inquiry reports before fixing the punishment part of their sentences.Turning to the jury, Lord Uist thanked them and noted they had paid particular attention to all the evidence.The judge added: "This has been quite a distressing case I know for you and for everyone involved."Miss Newlands wept as the verdicts were announced and was too upset to comment outside court. She had watched the trial with other members of Mr McKeeney's family, who travelled to court from as far away as Ireland and the US.Kathleen Gallagher, a niece of Mr McKeeney, spoke for the family. She said her uncle, originally from Malin Head in County Donegal, was one of seven brothers and sisters and "a lovely man and a pal to everyone".She added: "Today marks the end of the trial for Willie's murder. It does not end the pain or the loss that we as a family feel, that will never end. "Willie was a gentleman, always up for a good time. He was not just a brother, a partner or an uncle, he was a best friend, a mate."We feel the punishment these men will receive will not be enough. However, we hope these proceedings will stop this from happening to another family."Rehman and Ishaq were remanded in custody and will be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on November 9.

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Pair found guilty of labourer's murder in city street

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