Killed for having an abortion: Woman, 21, was knifed to death on orders of spurned teenager

Stabbed in the street: Nattalie Muir, 21, bled to death in Whitburn, West Lothian

A schoolboy and two friends who killed a young mother after she aborted his baby have been jailed for a total of more than 30 years.

Nattalie Muir, 21, was stabbed and beaten in a frenzied attack in the street last December.

The 15-year-old boy had sworn revenge on Miss Muir, of Whitburn, West Lothian, who had become pregnant by him and then had a termination before going back to a former boyfriend.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and 34-year-old George Stewart appeared at the High Court in Glasgow today after admitting to culpable homicide.

Emma Merrilees, 20, who fatally stabbed Miss Muir during the brutal assault pleaded guilty to a murder charge.

Presiding over the case, Lord Matthews said he was 'sick' of the 'mindless violence' involved in the attack.

The judge jailed the 15-year-old for six years while Stewart received eight years and five months.

Merrilees was given a life sentence and ordered to serve a minimum 16 years before she can apply for parole.

During the trial, the court heard how Miss Muir had been in a relationship with the schoolboy for four months until last October after she had split with long-term boyfriend Thomas Thyne.

Prosecutor Alex Prentice QC said: 'She became pregnant and decided to terminate the pregnancy.



'She then got back with Thomas Thyne and that annoyed the 15-year-old who pestered her with phone calls.'

Mr Thyne also received a call from the teenager claiming he was 'coming to get him'.

Killers: George Stewart, 34, (left) and Emma Merrilees were fuelled by drink and drugs when they attacked the 21-year-old single mother

The court was told that the boy - who had been drinking with his co-accused and another woman prior to the killing on December 11 - then spoke about going to Whitburn to 'fight' Miss Muir.

The trio then went looking for the young mother in a friend's car armed with a spade, axe and a six-inch knife.

Miss Muir and Mr Thyne were walking in the town's Brucefield Drive when a car pulled up beside them.

Mr Thyne was chased off before the young mother was repeatedly punched and Merrilees stabbed her.

The three attackers sped off in the car leaving Miss Muir lying injured in the street where she was found by a passer-by.

Mr Prentice told the Glasgow court: 'He heard the deceased saying what he thought was the word ''beige'', but it is much likely to have been her daughter's name ''Paige'''.

'The deceased then informed the man that she had been stabbed and he dialled 999.'

Miss Muir bled to death within minutes as the single stab wound had severed an artery.

Following the sentencing, the victim's father Calum Muir, 42, branded his 'lovely' daughter's killers 'evil cowards'.

He urged First Minister Alex Salmond to focus on the sentencing of violent criminals rather than the battle against sectarianism in Scotland.



Ambush: Police investigate in Whitburn, West Lothian, after Nattalie Muir was fatally stabbed in the street

Mr Muir said: 'I am satisfied enough but no sentencing will be enough in my eyes.

'Mr Salmond needs to look again at sentencing for knife crimes. He has spent time trying to take sectarianism out of football grounds but songs have never hurt anyone - knives and axes have.'

He added: 'We will move on and continue to be a proud family while this ratpack (the accused) go back to their temporary homes.

'They will always be cowards - evil cowards.'



Mr Muir said his daughter was a 'great mum' to her three-year-old daughter Paige and will be 'sorely missed'.

Ian Duguid QC, defence for the 15-year-old, had told the court the teenager had been 'unable to cope' at finding out Miss Muir had an abortion and had gone back to her ex.

The advocate also said the boy had a mental age of 'below the age of ten'.

John Keenan, defending Merrilees, said the murderer had been 'remorseful and tearful' when discussing the killing.

Lord Matthews interrupted at one point to ask: 'No one else stabbed anyone. Why did she do it? It is mindless violence - I am sick of it.'



In sentencing, the judge said 'Merrilees's jail-term would have been 18 years, but for the guilty plea, the 15-year-old would have been locked up for seven and Stewart for ten'.