Mohammad Abu Sammour: Third man jailed for killing security guard

A third man has been sentenced for killing a security supervisor in North Lanarkshire.

Billy Hay, 20, was order to serve to six years detention after being found guilty of the culpable homicide of Mohammed Abu Sammour in 2018.

Mr Sammour, 49, was beaten and then reversed over in his own works van, suffering fractures to his skull, face and ribs and was partially scalped.

Scott Pearson and Ryan Hunter are also serving sentences over the killing.

In 2019, Pearson was jailed for life for the murder of Mr Sammour, a father of four, and ordered to serve a minimum of 18 years.

Hunter admitted the lesser charge of culpable homicide and was jailed for six years.

A jury at the High Court in Glasgow found Hay, a prisoner of Polmont young offenders' institute, guilty of Mr Sammour's culpable homicide last month.

Sentencing him at the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday, Lord Arthurson told Hay he noted he was the youngest of the group, age 17 at the time.

He added that background reports said Hay presented "a medium risk" of reoffending.

Earlier this year the court heard that the three men decided to steal a Peugeot van as they walked through the Torrance Gardens housing development in Newarthill late at night on 18 October 2018.

Their joyriding plan turned violent after discovering Mr Sammour sitting in the van.

He tried to chase them away but he ended up being punched, kicked, hit with a brick and knuckleduster as well as being stamped on.

Jurors heard that when a householder discovered Mr Sammour, he appeared to be praying for his life.

Mr Sammour never recovered and died in hospital. His van was later discovered burnt out.

Hay had denied being involved, instead blaming Pearson and Hunter - who both gave evidence at Hay's trial.

Hunter said Hay attacked Mr Sammour that night and while Pearson claimed he had not seen Hay in years, it emerged he instead told his mother he had been there at the killing.

Lord Arthurson told Hay that he had no other option but to impose a custodial term.

He added: "Mr Sammour's widow attended each day of your trial listening with quiet dignity to what at times was undoubtedly harrowing and distressing evidence.

"The loss of Mr Sammour to his family is of incalculable measure."