The families of victims of crime will always want to see justice served after losing a loved one. They face the incredibly painful processes of going to court and hearing how their family member met their end.
From thugs who laughed as they murdered a dad in a street attack to an “out-of-control” killer who laughed out loud in court as he was handed down a sentence – their sadistic behaviour during and in the aftermath of their crimes was laid bear in evidence.
Now these remorseless killers are now behind bars after committing evil and violent crimes.
These two callous thugs laughed and celebrated after they murdered a dad in a brutal street attack. Roberts, 38, and McKie, 37, pounced on Malcolm McCandlish, 43, in Irvine in September 2024.
View 6 ImagesSean McKie(Image: Police Scotland)
View 6 ImagesSimon Roberts(Image: Police Scotland)
Malcolm and his sister’s partner Jason Pendlebury had approached the pair after McKie earlier slapped his sibling Margaret McCandlish.
The dad-of-one was punched to the ground by Roberts before the pair knocked Mr Pendlebury unconscious. Roberts continued the attack upon Malcom by repeatedly headbutting him before McKie kicked him on the head.
Smiling Roberts went on slap McKie on the back as they walked away after he imitated the kick he had just carried out. The two men then posed for a smiling selfie in a pub which was uploaded to social media 30 minutes later.
In May, Judge Lady Drummond today sentenced Roberts to a minimum of 18 years and McKie 17 years after they were found guilty of Mr McCandlish’s murder and of assaulting Mr Pendlebury to his permanent disfigurement.
Murderer Ness laughed out loud as he was jailed for life for bludgeoning a Scottish dad to death with a heavy lump of wood.
View 6 ImagesGeorge Ness leaving court last year.(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)
The 41-year-old was described as “completely out of control” when he inflicted skull fractures and unsurvivable brain injuries on John Smyth, 63, who was born in Glasgow, then stamped on his body as he lay bleeding and unconscious.
Evil Ness then rifled through the dying man’s pockets and stole his phone after the three-minutes of deadly violence at a home in North Shields
The deadly violence happened when Ness turned up at Mr Smyth’s neighbour’s home wanting more drugs, which he did not have the money to pay for and had warned her “I’m coming in”, while in a drink and drug fuelled rage.
Mr Smyth picked up, but did not use, a craft knife and screw driver to confront Ness outside but was met with deadly violence.
Ness, of North Shields, claimed he was acting in self defence and denied murder but was found guilty by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court. As he was sentenced in October 2025 to life behind bars in and told he must serve a minimum 22 years for the killing, Ness laughed loudly while Judge Paul Sloan KC was talking.
Marks falls into a slightly different category after he was incarcerated for killing his ex-partner Ann Drummond, 47.
View 6 ImagesMedics found that more than 80 per cent of Ann’s body was injured by burns(Image: West Lothian Courier)
In June 2019, Marks was released on bail but had been experiencing poor mental health and concerned Ms Drummond had gone to court meet him.
However, the 48-year-old started a fire in Ms Drummond’s car at a road near Bathgate while she was still inside. Moments later, he was seen standing over the businesswoman and he giggled as she rolled around the ground in a bid to extinguish the flames engulfing her body.
Paramedics came to Ms Drummond’s aid and took her to hospital where medics found that over 80 per cent of her body was injured by burns.
Sadly, she died at Glasgow Royal Infirmary after doctors concluded her injuries were so severe that she couldn’t survive.
Prosecutors accepted a not guilty plea from Marks on the basis that his mental health was so poor that he wasn’t responsible for his actions.
In October 2020, Judge Collins imposed restriction and treatment orders at the High Court in Edinburgh which would see Marks detained at the State Hospital Carstairs without limit of time.
These two thugs recorded themselves torturing and slashing two terrified victims while laughing hysterically. Murray, 33, and McClymont, 22, turned on Ryan Murray and a 15 year-old boy at a flat in Glasgow’s Springburn days after Christmas 2020.
View 6 ImagesThug George Murray, 33.
The crime at 23 year-old Mr Murray’s home was so gruesome that blood seeped down into the flat below.
In horrific mobile phone footage of the attack, both victims begged for mercy as they were repeatedly “chopped” on the head and body with blades.
One of the attackers taunted: “Dance for me, dance for me…”
Mr Murray is seen drenched in blood as he stood frightened in a bath and the 15 year-old pulled his hood up as he cowered while trying to avoid being repeatedly hit.
Amid hysterical laughing by the thugs, McClymont stated: “You better die slowly. See if you grass us up.”
Both men pleaded guilty to the despicable crime and, at the High Court in Glasgow in July 2021, they were sentenced to a total of 12 years and eight months behind bars.
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