The three men accused of brutally murdering Pollokshields schoolboy Kriss Donald were found guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh thanks in no small part to the efforts of local MP Mohammed Sarwar. 

The suspects fled to Pakistan, a country with no formal extradition treaty with the UK, in an attempt to escape police. Glasgow Central MP Mr Sarwar personally went to Pakistan six times, meeting senior politicians to secure the one-off extradition of Imran Shahid, Zeeshan Shahid and Mohammed Faisal Mushtaq.

It took the jury almost eight hours to convict the men of the abduction and murder of 15 year-old Kriss in March 2004. The killers were jailed for life, with a recommendation that they serve a minimum of 70 years between them. They have since lodged an appeal.

Mr Sarwar told the LOCAL NEWS, ‘I was involved in the case from day one. When we realised that the suspects had fled to Pakistan, we felt that we had to bring them back to face Scottish justice, which was a very challenging task as there is no formal extradition treaty with Pakistan.

‘I visited the country around half a dozen times and met with the President, the Prime Minister and the Interior Minister and managed to secure a one-off extradition. The Pakistani security services and the police did a great job apprehending the men.’

Kriss was bundled into a silver Mercedes on Pollokshields’ Kenmure Street, and then driven to Strathclyde Park in Hamilton and on to Dundee before being taken to a quiet part of the Clyde Walkway in Glasgow’s East End. Kriss was stabbed at least 13 times and then doused in petrol and set on fire.

All three men denied taking part in the murder, but the jury found Imran Shahid guilty unanimously and the other two guilty by majority verdicts at the end of the 27-day trial. Mr Sarwar added, ‘I’m glad justice has been done, and I hope we can now put this behind us and move forward as a community. We have sent out a message that if you think that you can commit a crime in Scotland and flee the country, we will come after you.’

A witness in the case was given six months in jail for contempt of court after leaving the witness box during the court case. David Beaton (21) left the stand during the trial and walked out of the court, returning later to resume giving evidence. Judge Lord Uist told the man, who claimed the three defendants intimidated him, that his behaviour showed ’scant respect for the law’.

Pollokshields Community Council Chair, Ronan Paddison, said, ‘People were horrified by this crime in the community. During and immediately after the trial, people wanted to make sure that there was no escalation of violence, and Kriss’ mother Angela was a shining example.

‘I think that it was a case of hooliganism and thuggery rather than race-hate, and I think it was a one-off rather than a particular problem in the area.’

Speaking about the verdict, Professor Paddison told the LOCAL NEWS, ‘I think that justice has been seen to be done. Those convicted will spend a very long time in jail – they’ll be over 50 when they get out.