OFFICERS leading the investigation into the murder of Jamie Dack hope that today’s guilty verdicts will send a clear message that those who commit “callous and despicable” crimes will be brought to justice.

Speaking following the verdicts at Winchester Crown Court, detective servant Bryan Carter, who led the investigation, said: “Firstly I would like to thank the jury from both this and the previous trial for listening and assimilating a large amount of distressing evidence over a lengthy trial and carefully considering before reaching their verdicts.

“I would also like to pay tribute to Jamie’s family. They have shown great dignity during the last 12 months and have had to endure two lengthy trials and heard and seen evidence that no family should have to experience about a loved family member.

“Lee Nicholls pleaded guilty at the previous trial to murder leaving these three defendants to face this retrial.

“They consistently pleaded their innocence in relation to the murder and sought to lessen their involvement but have today been found guilty of murder.

“Jamie was killed because he was a vulnerable and trusting young man and the defendants saw him as an easy target to take his money and all his valuable possessions so that they could buy alcohol, drugs and computer games and enjoy a night out after they had murdered him.

“They killed Jamie so that they could share £130 among four of them and when they had taken everything he had it was then they decided to kill him.

“They we all involved in keeping him captive and torturing him to achieve their aim and took photographs of him after they had stabbed and beaten him to show off what they had done.

“All four of them systematically tried to cover up what they had done by cleaning the flat - and the final act of some of the group was to set light to Jamie to conceal evidence.

“We are very pleased today with the verdicts and hope it sends a message that if you are prepared to commit crimes as callous and despicable as this of will be pursued and brought to justice.”