Closing speeches in Kriss trial

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Schoolboy Kriss Donald suffered a "lonely, frightened death", a jury at the High Court in Edinburgh has heard.

Norman Ritchie QC, the last of the lawyers for the three accused to give his closing speech, said Zeeshan Shahid was not involved in the crime.

Shahid, 28, his brother, Imran Shahid, 29, and Mohammed Faisal Mushtaq, 27, deny the murder of 15-year-old Kriss in Glasgow in March 2004.

The judge Lord Uist will complete his closing speech on Tuesday.

Jurors are then expected to retire to consider their verdict.

The charge against the three men alleges Kriss was abducted on 15 March, 2004, from Pollokshields, stabbed and set on fire.

Mr Ritchie said: "Kriss Donald was abducted in a public street in front of members of the public.

"He was forced into a vehicle and taken away in that vehicle and he was later found stabbed repeatedly.

"He must have died a lonely, frightened death."

The defence lawyer reminded the jury of six men and nine women that the man he represents had elected to give evidence in his own defence, something he was not obliged to do in law.

He said there was no forensic or fingerprint evidence against his client.

Kriss Donald's body was found near to the Clyde walkway

Mr Ritchie also questioned the character of key Crown witnesses.

Witness Zahid Mohammed claimed Zeeshan Shahid was one of those involved.

Zahid Mohammed pleaded guilty at a trial in 2004 in Glasgow to assault to injury on Kriss and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

He was sentenced to five years in jail and has now been released on licence.

Mr Ritchie said: "He's a man who is incapable of telling the truth."

He added that another key witness, Hafeez Anwar, was also "telling lies" and his evidence should be rejected.

Mr Anwar, 34, claimed he bought the fuel used by Zeeshan Shahid in a quiet Glasgow lane on the evening of Kriss's alleged abduction.

Judge Lord Uist began giving his directions to the jury.

He said: "Ladies and gentlemen, the crime set out in charge one is a crime of a particularly horrific nature - the sort of crime which is likely to give rise to a feeling of revulsion when one hears about it."

Nevertheless, he cautioned, jurors must approach the case calmly and objectively, without feelings of prejudice, sympathy or revulsion.

He added that there was sufficient evidence in terms of quantity, if they accepted that evidence, to entitle the jury to convict each of the accused.