Steven Donaldson murder: Three jailed for killing oil worker Published duration 30 May 2019

image caption Davidson, Dickie, and Glass were found guilty after a four-week trial

Two men and a woman have been jailed for the killing of 27-year-old Arbroath oil worker Steven Donaldson.

Steven Dickie and Callum Davidson will serve a minimum of 23 and 24 years respectively, while Tasmin Glass was detained for 10 years.

Dickie and Davidson were convicted of murder and Glass was convicted of culpable homicide.

Judge Lord Pentland said the two men had used "extreme violence", which had been "sustained and prolonged."

image copyright Police Scotland image caption Steven Donaldson's body was found in the car park of an Angus nature reserve

He said: "You cut him down without mercy.

"I do not accept that you demonstrate genuine insight and empathy. You show callous disregard for Mr Donaldson's family.

"What I am left with is a clear picture that you are both cold-blooded, violent and unrepentant."

The judge told Glass she was "manipulative and devious in advancing your own interests."

He said: "You returned home where you continued to go on with your normal routine. You showed a chilling coolness."

image caption Lord Pentland told Dickie and Davidson they were "cold-blooded, violent and unrepentant"

Davidson and Dickie, both 24, and Glass, 20, were found guilty following a four-week trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Dickie and Davidson attacked Mr Donaldson after he had arranged to meet ex-girlfriend Glass on Kirrie Hill, Angus, last June.

The trial was told that Mr Donaldson died after his spinal cord was repeatedly cut by a weapon, like a sword, machete, cleaver or axe.

Forensic pathologist Dr Helen Brownlow said injuries to his hands and legs suggested he had tried to defend himself from multiple blows.

Mr Donaldson was initially attacked at the Peter Pan play park at Kirrie Hill before he was transported to the Loch of Kinnordy nature reserve car park.

The trial was told he had gone there to meet Ms Glass, his former girlfriend, who was pregnant with his child.

The detective who led the investigation said it was "one of the most brutal attacks" he had ever encountered.

Det Ch Insp Andy Patrick said Mr Donaldson had thought he was going to see Tasmin Glass in an attempt to sort out his relationship with her and possibly retrieve some of his belongings.

"He was met with two individuals who assaulted him right from the very start," he said.

"A frenzied attack took place and he was then taken to Kinnordy Estate where the attack continued up to his death."

The detective said the killing "could not have happened" without Glass setting it up.

He said: "From an early stage we identified that Tasmin Glass played a key role assisted by Steven Dickie and Callum Davidson.

"You can see the collusion of the three people that it has been a planned attack."

image caption Det Ch Insp Andy Patrick said Steven Donaldson was subjected to a "frenzied" attack