Three convicted over murder and violence campaign
- Published
Guthrie, left, Harvey, centre, and Owen, right, were convicted at the High Court in Glasgow
Three men have been convicted over a campaign of murder and violence.
Barry Harvey and Darren Owen were found guilty of the killings of Gary More and Rafal Lyko respectively.
The pair and Thomas Guthrie - already serving a life sentence for his role as a getaway driver in the More murder - were also convicted of the attempted murder of Scott Bennett outside a vets in Rutherglen in December 2018.
Judge Lord Clark warned the three men they all faced life in prison.
Harvey, 35, was paid for shooting Mr More, 32, nine times on the doorstep of his home in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, on 6 September 2018.
During a 12-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow, he was described as being an "enforcer" and "cold-blooded killer".
The court heard Guthrie, 28, was "subservient" to Harvey prior to their conviction for the attack on Mr Bennett, 43, on 3 December of the same year.
Guthrie was also jailed for the attempted murder of lawyer Joe Shields, 63, outside his office near Glasgow Sheriff Court on 19 July 2018.
Harvey was captured killing Gary More on a nearby CCTV camera
Owen, 23, who took part in the Bennett murder attempt, was found to have killed Mr Lyko, 36, whose remains were discovered in a burned-out Mercedes in Blantyre, Lanarkshire, on 11 February 2019.
Co-accused Thomas Wilson, 26, was found not guilty of the murder.
The trial heard that Mr More owed a drug debt of £100,000.
He was repeatedly visited in the run up to his murder by Neil Anderson, later given a life sentence for his involvement in the killing.
Guthrie and Harvey went on a reconnaissance mission to the scene the night before Mr More was murdered.
Holidays with hit proceeds
The Skoda car involved in the killing was seen near his home at about 22:00 on 5 September.
It was found burned out the following evening after Anderson lured Mr More from his home so Harvey could carry out the shooting before escaping with Guthrie behind the wheel.
During the trial, prosecutor Lorraine Glancy said Harvey had used the proceeds from the killing to fund a holiday to Krakow with his girlfriend, Karlie Montgomery, and splashed out on "Turkey teeth" dental treatment.
Guthrie was earlier involved in the attempted murder of solicitor Mr Shields yards from his city centre office after he defended the crime gang headed by David Sell, who was jailed for 16 years in 2018 for the abduction and torture of drug dealer Robert Allan.
Mr Shields suffered multiple injuries and required 10 stitches for a cut to his head.
Mr More was shot outside his home in Airdrie
Another getaway vehicle was found burned out at the same location as the car used during the murder of Mr More.
Drug dealer and dog breeder Mr Bennett was shot once on the head as he sat in his van outside a vets in Rutherglen.
Ms Montgomery's brother, David Munro, had stated he was watching a Celtic match with Harvey at the time of the shooting.
However, phone numbers relating to Harvey and Owen hit were tracked to sites in key areas, including the vets.
Guthrie failed to attend work on the day of the shooting and his phone was turned off.
Mr Bennett suffered injuries to the inside of his mouth, but managed to flee the scene.
Mr Lyko was murdered in 2019
He was jailed in 2022 after he pled guilty to being involved in serious organised crime and the supply of controlled drugs.
Harvey spent the proceeds from that attack on a holiday to Australia with Ms Montgomery.
Ms Glancy described it as a "significant sum" to be spent on a holiday for "someone without legitimate income".
The pair were found to have acted "in concert" with Owen during the attack.
Polish national Mr Lyko was shot once and left in the stolen Mercedes GLE which was then set alight in an incident believed to be related to "drugs and drug debt."
Mr Lyko told his cousin that he was to return to Scotland to be set up with a job in Valencia to work off the debt.
He was picked up by the GLE vehicle, stolen from an address in Edinburgh, in Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, at about 19:30 on the night of his murder.
He was then driven to Blantyre, Lanarkshire, where he was killed.
Mr Lyko was discovered in an ignited Mercedes GLE
The car was parked at a location on East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, prior to the killing.
Phone analysis showed that the vehicle was subject to check-ups by Owen in the lead up to the shooting.
Lord Clark told the men: "By the verdict of the jury, you have been convicted of very serious offences."
Sentence was deferred pending background reports until next month at the High Court in Glasgow.
All three men were remanded in custody.