Three jailed for torture killing

Last updated at 15:20 GMT, Thursday, 26 November 2009

Three men have been jailed for their part in the murder of a 26-year-old man who was tortured with scissors in the mistaken belief he was a paedophile.

Alan Street was attacked at a house in Padiham, Lancashire, in December 2008 and his body was found in a culvert in Accrington on 19 January.

Alan Street's body was found in a culvert in Accrington

Allan Palmer, 44, and Peter Leonard, 52, were convicted of murder and must serve 25 and 28 years respectively.

Kieron Davison, 21, must serve eight years after admitting manslaughter.

Preston Crown Court heard Leonard, 52, of Oswaldtwistle, hated Street for going out with his ex-girlfriend.

Davison, 21, who both lived in Stockbridge Road, Padiham, believed Street was a paedophile.

Peter Leonard hated Mr Street for going out with his ex-girlfriend

Mr Street was convicted of rape in 1999 but there was no evidence he had abused children, the court was told.

He was battered with a wooden pole and stabbed in the eye and ear with a pair of scissors before his body was moved from the house in Stockbridge Road and later dumped.

Leonard and his friend Palmer were both jailed for life while Davison was cleared of murder but admitted taking part in the killing.

Det Supt Neil Hunter, of Lancashire police, said: "When I first visited the scene the sight that greeted me was horrific.

"It was quite clear that an act of gratuitous violence had taken place and now those people responsible have been quite rightly punished with lengthy terms of imprisonment.

"The wicked nature of the attack which was extremely unpleasant, involving elements of torture on a man who was unable to defend himself which was sickening and demonstrates how cowardly the offenders were, especially Leonard and Palmer."