Four members of a crime gang who carried out the cold blooded execution of a man on a city street were each jailed for life today for the fatal gun attack.
Morton Eadie, his son Darren Eadie, Ross Fisher and John Kennedy were sentenced to minimum terms of imprisonment totalling 94 years for the shooting of Kenny Reilly in Maryhill, in Glasgow in 2018.
Kennedy (41) was ordered to serve at least 26 years for the assassination, Darren Eadie (30) for 24 years and Morton Eadie (56) and Fisher (30) were each ordered to serve 22 years before they can seek release on parole.
Kennedy, the shooter, was acquitted of murdering a second man, Jamie Campbell, who was gunned down in a street in Drumchapel, in Glasgow, in 2006, on a not proven verdict.
A judge told the gang of four: "For murder the punishment is fixed by law and you will be sentenced to life imprisonment."
Lord Beckett told them he had to fix minimum terms they must serve, but added: "It will be for the Parole Board to determine when it is safe for you to be released from prison."
The judge said: "People who are prepared to engage in such meticulously planned and ruthlessly perpetrated assassination on the streets of our cities can expect substantial punishment."
Lord Beckett pointed out that six shots were fired from an automatic pistol during the murder of Kenny Reilly "from some distance" as the innocent driver sought to reverse when her passenger, the target for the attack, realised what was happening. Only one round hit him on the head with catastrophic results.
The judge said: "While the attack was plainly directed at Kenneth Reilly, it showed gross indifference to the safety of the driver and the public."
Lord Beckett told Darren Eadie that he took particular account of the role he played in organising the crime and recruiting some of the others.
He said that in Kennedy's case of particular significance was a previous conviction from 2008 at the High Court in Glasgow for firearms offence which resulted in 54 months imprisonment.
After sentencing the quartet of killers the judge told the remaining 13 jurors who returned verdicts: "Plainly this has been a long and demanding trial and there has been some evidence which some of you may have found deeply upsetting to listen to."
He directed that the jurors and their two former colleagues who started the lengthy trial that they would be exempt from further jury service for life. Lord Beckett said some of the evidence in the trial was "harrowing".
All four were found guilty of murdering Mr Reilly at Bilsland Drive, in Glasgow, at the junction with the Maryhill Road on April 16 in 2018 by repeatedly discharging a firearm at him and shooting him in the head, leaving him so severely injured that he died two days later at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Both Fisher and Kennedy bowed their heads as the verdicts were returned.
They were all also convicted of attempting to defeat the ends of justice on April 16 in 2018 by setting fire to a Ford S-Max car used in the hit on land at Craigieburn Gardens, in Glasgow, in a bid to destroy evidence linking them to the murder.
The offences were aggravated by a connection with serious organised crime.
Kennedy was also accused of murdering Jamie Campbell on March 4 in 2006 at Essenside Avenue, in Drumchapel, by repeatedly discharging a gun at him and repeatedly shooting him on the body, but was acquitted of the offence.
A further charge of attempting to defeat the ends of justice on March 4 in 2006 by setting fire to a Fiat Ducato van at Auchenhowie Road, Milngavie, levelled against Kennedy was also found not proven.
The court heard that Kennedy was arrested in Spain in November 2019 under a European Arrest Warrant but did not fight extradition for his return to the UK.
Darren Eadie had his period of remand whilst awaiting trial interrupted by the imposition of a 22 month long jail sentence on him in June 2019 for an assault to injury and danger of life in a hammer attack.
At the High Court in Edinburgh on Wednesday, the Crown made a motion to have serious crime prevention orders imposed on Kennedy and Darren Eadie. A hearing will be held on this matter at the High Court in Glasgow next month.
Detective Superintendent Stevie Wallace welcomed the convictions of the quartet.
He said: “This was a long, complex and challenging investigation and a team of dedicated officers and staff have worked tirelessly, to ensure that justice was found in this case.
“It really does show that no matter the length of time, if you commit a crime, you will be caught and you will be brought to justice.
“Kenny Reilly left behind a family who has sought answers on how and why their loved one was killed. Although he cannot be brought back, I hope this result will bring some comfort to his family and friends.”
