Man jailed for busker killing

A man who set a Belfast street busker on fire and left him to die has been sentenced to nine years in jail.

Simon McCarey, 25, from Carnreagh Bend in Rathcoole, near Belfast, was told at Friday's hearing he must serve a further 12 months probation on his release.

Brian Cathcart, 51, was reported to be still smouldering from his horrific burns when he was found by a milkman on Rathcoole estate on 1 December 2000.

He died in hospital three weeks later from his injuries.

Brian Cathcart died from burn injuries

Belfast Crown Court heard Mr Cathcart had gone to a flat in the Rathcoole area with his killer.

McCarey poured a flammable liquid over him and set it alight.

The killer and another man had tried to put the fire out using beer but ran away when they discovered they were unable to do so, the court was told.

The prosecution accepted his guilty plea to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility when it was established he suffered from "focal brain damage" impairing his judgement.

Sentencing McCarey, Mr Justice Coghlin told him his actions had been "so cruel and callous as to be almost beyond belief".