Life Sentence For Glasgow Street Attacker

A man who killed a stranger in an unprovoked street attack has been jailed for life.

A judge today ordered Luke Quinn to serve a minimum 14 years behind bars.

The 33 year-old had earlier been convicted of murdering Simon Richardson in Glasgow city centre in November last year.

Quinn had previously been deported to the UK from New Zealand after committing a sex offence.

The 45 year-old victim had been on a night out with friends when he later set upon by burly Quinn.

The killer later boasted in a text to his Taekwon Do instructor of what he had done.

In the message, he said: "It's a deadly art. I was surrounded by prozzies and pimps. I did a two strike combo.

"I was so relaxed. They took him away in an ambulance convulsing, eyes open, body shaking. I suddenly realised what you had taught me is great responsibility."

Sentencing, Judge Bill Dunlop today told Quinn: "No value can be put on the life that was lost and that you took. Nothing can do that."

Quinn showed no emotion as he was lead handcuffed to the cells.

A jury heard how the victim Mr Richardson, of Paisley, had been on a night out after earlier watched his beloved St Mirren.

He was later looking for a taxi when he encountered tele-sales worker Quinn.

Initially the men were caught on CCTV chatting before Quinn suddenly lashed out and Mr Richardson slumped to the ground.

Quinn then stamped on his defenceless victim, rifled his pockets before continuing the assault.

Mr Richardson died from internal bleeding caused by a blow to the abdomen.

When Quinn was charged with murder, he told police:" 'Why is God doing this to me?"

In a further tragedy for the family, Mr Richardson's mother died just six weeks later on Christmas Day.

Quinn denied murder and claimed that he was suffering from diminished responsibility due to Aspergers Syndrome.

He did not give evidence, but told a psychologist that he snapped because he didn't like being touched and Mr Richardson had been patting him on the back when he spoke to him.

Quinn's QC today/yesterday said the victim was "wholly innocent" and was "the wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time".

Donald Findlay QC went on: "Luke Quinn is different - he just is. He perceives the world in the way an ordinary individual would not perceive the world to be.

"He cannot be told to pull himself together or to put such foolish ideas out of his mind.

"Mr Quinn absolutely regrets what happened to Mr Richardson that night in the centre of Glasgow."

The victim's celebrity chef brother Ferrier Richardson spoke after the trial of the death of a "wonderful human being".

Ferrier - who now lives in West Africa - said: "I don't care what my brother said or did that night, nobody on earth deserves anything like that.

"Simon was a wonderful human being, who everyone loved. I could not have asked for a better brother.

"What this excuse for a human being has done to all of us, I would not wish on your or any other person's family.

"He should be locked away for a very long time so that no other family has to suffer in the way we have."