It'll be a cold winter for David Meehan and Martin Soutar – the Scottish duo have been sentenced for their respective roles in the murder of Perth politico James Kerr.

Soutar got off easy: the 21-year old will serve twelve years for "culpable homocide". Meanwhile, 19-year old Meehan, who not only helped beat Kerr, but later walked by his dying body, received a life sentence, 16-years of which he must serve.

The judge wasn't feeling very cuddly when he read the verdict, telling Meehan:

This was a killing of a callous and brutal character which appears to have been marked by a homophobic element.
…
This was a savage and sustained attack on a defenseless man who had done you no harm.

The judge also described the photographic evidence as "horrifying". Another teen – a fifteen-year old – will be sentenced tomorrow. The lad allegedly started the entire attack. This boy, who has not be identified, ran into Kerr in the park, later told Soutar and Meehan that Kerr had "tried it", so the trio went back to the park to beat Kerr to death.

Kids! They grow up so fast!