Two murderers beat an Irish labourer to death in a street outside his Glasgow home.
William McKeeney died in hospital after being repeatedly punched and kicked in the Pollokshields area this year.
At the High Court in Kilmarnock on Monday, Asif Rehman and Adel Ishaq were found guilty of murdering the 57-year-old in Melville Street on January 15.
Rehman, 20, and 19-year-old Ishaq had denied murdering Mr McKeeney, who was originally from County Donegal in Ireland.
They had blamed each other for the killing, but were found guilty of beating him to death on Monday.
The trial heard Mr McKeeney?s partner Annmarie Newlands watched from her front window as he was beaten to death, unaware of what was happening. It was only when she went out into the street after the attackers had fled that she found her dying partner.
Mr McKeeney died in Victoria Hospital after sustaining fatal injuries in the attack. He was kicked so hard by his killers that footprints were left on his skin.
John Dunn, procurator fiscal for the west of Scotland, said: "William McKeeney was an innocent man on his way home when he had the misfortune to run into Asif Rehman and Adel Ishaq. Minutes later and in a totally brutal and unprovoked attack, he was beaten so viciously and severely that he would never recover. His murder has shocked the local community.
"Those who commit such crimes must be held accountable and I hope that today's verdict will bring some closure for Mr McKeeney's family, who have had to deal with the effects of this tragic event. I cannot imagine the mental anguish they have suffered because of these men.
"Our first priority is the protection of the public and the conviction of Rehman and Ishaq today, demonstrates the commitment of the Crown to ensure that those who are guilty of such appalling crimes will not escape justice."
Detective Superintendent David Gailey of Strathclyde Police added: "Despite only living in Glasgow for a few years, he was well known and popular in the area. The whole community was appalled by this crime and they united together to assist the police, helping to provide the evidence which ultimately led to the convictions.
"I am very grateful for the community response which was critical in taking the inquiry forward. Incidents such as this are very rare and the community of Pollokshields have shown that they will not tolerate such crimes within their community."
Kathleen Gallagher, Mr McKeeney's niece, read a statement to the court. She said: "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'd like to thank the quick-acting Strathclyde Police Department who were helpful and supportive to Willie's family both in Ireland and in the United States. We would also like to thank the Scottish Ambulance Service and the medical staff at the Victoria Infirmary who worked on Willie. We'd also like to thank the Advocate Depute and jurors for the giving of their time.
"The loss of his life will continue to leave an emptiness in all of us. As we leave this court today, we feel that the punishment these men will receive will not be enough; however, we hope that these proceedings will stop this from happening to another family."
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