A man who stabbed his victim in the throat with a poker before blugeoning him to death was jailed for life yesterday.
Mark McGuckin (36), from Milburn Close, Cookstown, Co Tyrone, was one of five men from the town who were jailed by Belfast Crown Court for their part in the killing of 31-year-old Mr George Scott on September 22nd, 1996.
Mr Scott was attacked in his Killymoon Street flat by McGuckin and two others, including McGuckin's 31-year-old brother, Gary, also from Milburn Close.
He and 24-year-old Rodger Crooks of McKinney Park were each jailed for 10 years for manslaughter after being acquitted of the charge of murder.
Two others who admitted manslaughter, Robert Stewart (39) and George Watterson (31), both of Stewart Avenue, were jailed for six and five years respectively.
During the trial in January the court heard that Mr Scott was initially attacked in front of his girlfriend before being stabbed in the throat with a poker and then beaten about the head and body with a baseball bat and a metal fire stand.