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| Race hate murder man found guilty | Race hate murder man found guilty |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A man has been jailed for a minimum of 18 years for the racially aggravated murder of an Indian naval officer in the Gorbals area of Glasgow. | A man has been jailed for a minimum of 18 years for the racially aggravated murder of an Indian naval officer in the Gorbals area of Glasgow. |
| Christopher Miller, 25, slashed father-to-be Kunal Mohanty, 30, in the neck as he walked to a restaurant with his friends in March. | Christopher Miller, 25, slashed father-to-be Kunal Mohanty, 30, in the neck as he walked to a restaurant with his friends in March. |
| Miller claimed it was a botched mugging but a jury at the High Court in Glasgow returned a unanimous verdict of murder. | Miller claimed it was a botched mugging but a jury at the High Court in Glasgow returned a unanimous verdict of murder. |
| The judge said the killing was as "incomprehensible as it was evil". | The judge said the killing was as "incomprehensible as it was evil". |
| During the trial at the High Court in Glasgow prosecutors said the seaman was attacked because of his skin colour. | During the trial at the High Court in Glasgow prosecutors said the seaman was attacked because of his skin colour. |
| Mr Mohanty, who was due to become a father for the first time, was in Glasgow to sit his captain's exams at the city's Nautical College. | Mr Mohanty, who was due to become a father for the first time, was in Glasgow to sit his captain's exams at the city's Nautical College. |
| The court heard that he was left bleeding to death from an 18cm long hole in his neck in the attack in Bedford Lane near the Citizens' Theatre. | The court heard that he was left bleeding to death from an 18cm long hole in his neck in the attack in Bedford Lane near the Citizens' Theatre. |
| A casualty consultant described Mr Mohanty's neck injury as "one of the worst he had ever seen". | A casualty consultant described Mr Mohanty's neck injury as "one of the worst he had ever seen". |
| Miller and his friend were seen on CCTV footage after the attack | Miller and his friend were seen on CCTV footage after the attack |
| Prosecutor Dorothy Bain QC said it was "an atrocity delivered without mercy, a death blow" and "an unprovoked attack on a blameless, defenceless and wholly decent man because Christopher Miller didn't like the colour of his skin." | Prosecutor Dorothy Bain QC said it was "an atrocity delivered without mercy, a death blow" and "an unprovoked attack on a blameless, defenceless and wholly decent man because Christopher Miller didn't like the colour of his skin." |
| As Mr Mohanty lay dying in the street with blood gushing from his neck, Miller and his friend John McGrory, 20, were seen on CCTV running through a car park celebrating. | As Mr Mohanty lay dying in the street with blood gushing from his neck, Miller and his friend John McGrory, 20, were seen on CCTV running through a car park celebrating. |
| Mr McGrory was so close to Miller when he killed Mr Mohanty that he got the dead man's blood on his trainers. | Mr McGrory was so close to Miller when he killed Mr Mohanty that he got the dead man's blood on his trainers. |
| Both men are seen cuddling, punching their arms in the air and at one point skinhead Miller is seen putting his jumper over his head in a football-style celebration. | Both men are seen cuddling, punching their arms in the air and at one point skinhead Miller is seen putting his jumper over his head in a football-style celebration. |
| The whole incident was captured on security cameras at the procurator fiscal's office. | The whole incident was captured on security cameras at the procurator fiscal's office. |
| Everyone in this city and this country should feel shame for what you did Temporary judge John Beckett QC | Everyone in this city and this country should feel shame for what you did Temporary judge John Beckett QC |
| An hour later Miller was again captured on CCTV throwing sauce at staff at Asian takeaway Sizzlers and shouting racial abuse at them. | An hour later Miller was again captured on CCTV throwing sauce at staff at Asian takeaway Sizzlers and shouting racial abuse at them. |
| Mr Miller's brother Jamie Miller, 17, from Govanhill, Glasgow, gave evidence during the trial and said Miller told him he had "done a Paki". | Mr Miller's brother Jamie Miller, 17, from Govanhill, Glasgow, gave evidence during the trial and said Miller told him he had "done a Paki". |
| After the verdicts Dorothy Bain QC, prosecuting, told the court that Miller has a violent past including convictions for assault and robbery and carrying knives. | After the verdicts Dorothy Bain QC, prosecuting, told the court that Miller has a violent past including convictions for assault and robbery and carrying knives. |
| Miller's QC Donald Findlay said: "My client has been clear through all this that the fact that the deceased is Asian is wholly irrelevant. | Miller's QC Donald Findlay said: "My client has been clear through all this that the fact that the deceased is Asian is wholly irrelevant. |
| "He was not motivated by racism - it was a drunken mugging which went tragically awry." | "He was not motivated by racism - it was a drunken mugging which went tragically awry." |
| 'No remorse' | 'No remorse' |
| Sentencing him temporary judge John Beckett QC told Miller: "Your behaviour after the murder suggested that you were anything but sorry and appeared to be celebrating." | |
| "The murder was racially aggravated. There can be no justification for slashing the neck of someone who did you no harm. | "The murder was racially aggravated. There can be no justification for slashing the neck of someone who did you no harm. |
| "To do so because of the colour of a man's skin is as incomprehensible as it is evil. Everyone in this city and this country should feel shame for what you did." | "To do so because of the colour of a man's skin is as incomprehensible as it is evil. Everyone in this city and this country should feel shame for what you did." |
| He told Miller that it would be up to the parole board to decide when he is released. | He told Miller that it would be up to the parole board to decide when he is released. |
| Speaking after the verdict, Lesley Thomson, area procurator fiscal for Glasgow said: "Kunal Mohanty was doing nothing other than enjoying time off his studies with friends. | Speaking after the verdict, Lesley Thomson, area procurator fiscal for Glasgow said: "Kunal Mohanty was doing nothing other than enjoying time off his studies with friends. |
| "He was attacked for no reason other than that Christopher Miller is a racist. | "He was attacked for no reason other than that Christopher Miller is a racist. |
| "He died because Christopher Miller had a knife and had no hesitation in using it." | "He died because Christopher Miller had a knife and had no hesitation in using it." |
| She added: "Glasgow rightly celebrates its cultural diversity and everyone should be free to enjoy the city in safety. | She added: "Glasgow rightly celebrates its cultural diversity and everyone should be free to enjoy the city in safety. |
| "Together with the police, we will ensure those who pose a threat to this are brought to justice." | "Together with the police, we will ensure those who pose a threat to this are brought to justice." |
| Det Insp Gary Thomson, the officer in charge of the investigation, said: "The racist murder of an innocent man on our streets obviously caused a lot of concern and fear in the community, however fortunately crimes of this nature aren't common. | |
| "However one is still one too many, and the senseless loss of life is tragic. Strathclyde Police will not tolerate this type of racially motivated behaviour in our communities." |