YouTube Killers Jailed For 8 Years Each

THREE thugs who filmed themselves gloating over beating a young dad to death have been caged for eight years each.

The sickening footage, which was exclusively revealed by the Record, was posted on internet site YouTube.

Jason McFadden, 19, and George O'Connor and David Harvey, both 18, showed no remorse yesterday as they were sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow.

The trio and their co-accused Iain Stevenson, 19, who also got eight years, admitted the culpable homicide of 21-year-old William Smith. They were originally charged with murder.

William, who has a three-year-old son, suffered brain damage and had one of his kidneys reduced to pulp in the attack outside his home in the Norfolk House flats in the city's Gorbals last December.

His father, also William, stormed out of the court in disgust at judge Rita Rae's decision not to view the YouTube footage

The 57-year-old stood up in the public gallery and told her: "I cannot listen to any more of this s***e. You should have watched f******YouTube".

He was then escorted from Court Three but returned in the afternoon for the sentencing when he was joined by his wife Maria, 51, and daughters Donna, 34, Denise, 32, Margaret, 29, Lorraine, 26, and Maria, 25.

Later, the grieving dad said: "I am not happy with it at all. They should have got 12 years each with no parole.

"I think the YouTube video proved those guys actually murdered my son. They have no remorse.

It is understood the video, which has since been removed from YouTube, had been burned on to a DVD so that it could be screened in court.

But the judge decided not to show it, claiming: "I am not concerned about the newspaper reports or comment. It is the fact that the three accused have used certain words."

She said that her hands were tied by the fact that the Crown did not want to submit the clip and said it was not appropriate for her to view the video.

As they were led out of the dock, the gang smirked and waved to supporters.