Three convicted over M6 killing

Savvas Petri has been sentenced to life over the killing.

A man has been jailed for life, and two others sentenced to six years, after a man was killed and his body set on fire in south Cumbria last year.

John Harvey, 59, was shot in the head over an unpaid debt, Preston Crown Court was told.

Savvas Petri, 51, from Potters Bar, was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.

His son Theo, 20, and Terrence Cook, 53, from Westhoughton, near Bolton, were jailed for assisting an offender.

The smouldering body of Mr Harvey, a retired London market trader, was found next to a remote fell road near the M6 at Killington on 25 April 2003.

Police commended

Although it was not known where he had died, Cumbria Police took up the case and up to 40 detectives spent weeks investigating Mr Harvey's links in North London.

Mr Harvey's body was found near services on the M6

Officers eventually arrested Savvas Petri, Theo Petri and Terrence Cook.

The judge, Lord Justice Davies, commended the quality of the police investigation.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Keith Churchman, said: "The hard work and commitment of the officers has meant that from a badly-burned body found in a Cumbrian field, we were able to identify it as Mr Harvey and piece together his known associates and the last few days of his life.

"This naturally presented difficulties, meaning that officers from this force set up a base in south-east England where our inquiries centred on a man who had no known connections with Cumbria.

"I am pleased that the sentences will allow Mr Harvey's family to get on with their life.

"Much about the final moments of Mr Harvey's life and the circumstances of his death remains unknown. I hope that the convictions today will enable that information to come to light."