'Inhumane' killers 'laughed and joked' in court in front of victim's family - Liverpool Echo

"As a family, we will never come to terms with our loss".

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The heartbroken family of Robert Beattie, who was set on fire in a brutal drug-related murder, today described his killers as "inhumane.".

Three men were jailed this afternoon for the devastating attack which claimed the life of Robert Beattie.

After watching the three killers taken down to the cells at Preston Crown Court, Mr Beattie's family paid tribute to him, and said: "Our hearts are truly broken.".

In a poignant victim impact statement, read out at court, Mr Beattie's sister, speaking on behalf of the family, said: "Bobby still had a lot of life left and was taken far too soon.

"As a family, we will never come to terms with our loss.".

In a further statement, the Beattie family said: "Our grieving as a family has only just started and it is even more difficult knowing that some of those responsible for this inhumane attack on bobby are still walking free.

"As a family we will miss seeing his cheeky smile and hearing his laughter.

We will deeply miss our Bobby.

Mr Beattie was set alight as he answered a knock at the door of his home on Waverley, Skelmersdale, at 12.30am on September 26, 2019.

Jenkinson and his recruits drove in a van from Liverpool to Skelmersdale after believing their "Ronnie and Reggie" mobile telephone line, used to peddle Class A drugs to addicts, was being usurped by a rival telephone line, nicknamed "Nathan.".

The gang thought Mr Beattie was part of the competing dealing group and paid a visit to the town to "deter disloyalty," prosecutors said.

Newly-seen CCTV shows the gang-of-five walking briskly down a street called Windrows, in Skelmersdale, at 1am, 30 minutes after setting Mr Beattie on fire, on their way back to Liverpool.

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Sentencing Jenkinson, O'Brien and McEwan, Judge Justice Turner told them: "You all turned up outside the house of Robert Beattie in another part of Skelmersdale once more equipped with petrol.

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