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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Three jailed over cannabis murder
BBC News
Tuesday 06 Feb 2007 Two men and a teenager who murdered an 18-year-old over a £10 piece of cannabis have been jailed for life. Kevin McLaughlin, 18, was punched, kicked and stabbed twice as he walked with his girlfriend near his home in Glasgow in November 2005. Peter Cunningham, 23, Gary Sutherland, 16, and John Struthers, 22, all from Glasgow, were found guilty last month. Passing sentence at the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Carloway described the attack as "callous". He added: "This was the murder of a young man who had done nothing of significance to provoke the attack on him. "It was murder yet again prompted by the carrying of a knife or knives." 'Defenceless position' The court previously heard that Mr McLaughlin and a friend had gone to buy cannabis from Cunningham's former girlfriend and stole a small piece of the drug which may have been worth £10. Cunningham, Sutherland and Struthers were driving around the streets in a car when they spotted Mr McLaughlin and his girlfriend. They chased him, punched him then kicked and stamped on him as he lay on the ground. He was then stabbed twice by Struthers, the court was told. On Tuesday, Struthers, of Berneray Street, Milton, was ordered to serve a minimum of 14 years. Lord Carloway said he had shown little or no remorse and told him: "You were the person who delivered the two stab wounds to the deceased when he was lying in a defenceless position." Grave visit Sutherland, of Ronaldsay Street, Milton, who was only 15 at the time of the murder, was given a minimum sentence of nine years because of his age. Cunningham, 23, of Tiree Street, Royston, was told he must spend a minimum of 12 years in prison. All three had denied murdering Mr McLaughlin at a grassy area between Latherton Drive and Glenfinnan Drive in Wyndford, Maryhill, but a jury found them guilty. The court heard that Mr McLaughlin had worked as a car valet and warehouseman. His dream was to be a lifeguard and just days before his death he was told he had been accepted for a training course. Advocate depute David Young said: "The loss of Kevin has had an understandably devastating effect on his family. Each tried to cope in their own way." He said Mr McLaughlin's father visited his son's grave every say while his mother had been too upset to attend the trial. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/6336029.stm
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