Killers of Kriss Donald want compensation for being put in solitary

TRIO OF RACIST KILLER

THE jailed thugs who killed Kriss Donald are claiming damages for being locked in solitary confinement, we can reveal today.

Murderers Imran 'Baldy' Shahid, Zeeshan 'Crazy' Shahid and Mohammed 'Becks' Mushtaq were only put in solitary to protect them from other cons revolted by their racist crime.

But the whining murderers claim that being cooped up on their own has caused them mental damage.

And they are demanding thousands of pounds each from the public purse in compensation for the so-called breach of their human rights.

Becks's claim, the first of the three, is due to come to court on Friday.

All three killers have demanded Legal Aid to fight their cases and officials have yet to decide on their applications.

The killers' brazen cash grab follows similar court actions by convicted murderers Andrew Somerville and Ricardo Blanco, who got s2100 each of public money last year after the prison service agreed to settle their claims.

But furious ministers last night vowed to fight to stop Baldy, Crazy and Becks getting a penny.

A senior source close to Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: "People will be appalled at the possibility of these men being paid thousands of pounds of taxpayers' cash.

"The killing of Kriss Donald was one of the most brutal and callous crimes in Scotland for many years. It horrified the nation.

"Kenny is determined to fight this every step of the way. We will do everything we can to make sure these men do not see a single penny of public cash."

The source also slammed the lawyers who took the killers' human rights case.

He said: "People will be outraged that lawyers are still trying to cash in by touting for business among some of the most despicable criminals in the country. "We acted to close this loophole and stop criminals milking the public purse.

"But unfortunately, that didn't stop lawyers making claims on behalf of prisoners before the one-year time limit on claims was brought in, while the Labour government at Westminster dragged its feet on the issue."

Baldy, brother Crazy, and Becks were part of a gang that snatched Kriss, 15, off the street near his Glasgow home in 2004.

Ringleader Baldy was out for blood after someone threw a bottle at him in the city's Victoria's nightclub the night before.

But Kriss had nothing to do with the incident and was targeted simply because he was white.

The gang held Kriss prisoner for several hours, driving him around Scotland as he pleaded for mercy.

Then they stabbed him repeatedly and set him on fire while he was still alive.

He staggered from the scene in flames before collapsing a short distance away.

Baldy, Crazy and Becks tried to cheat justice by fleeing to Pakistan but were caught and brought back to Scotland.

And at the High Court in Edinburgh in 2006, all three thugs were caged for life.

Baldy was jailed for a minimum of 25 years, Crazy for 23 years and Becks for 22. Baldy, 33, is in Shotts jail and has been in solitary since starting his sentence.

He claims being held alone has had a "detrimental effect on his physical and mental health".

His damages case will be heard on February 3. It's the latest in a long series of complaints by the thug about his conviction and sentence.

He claims he should be freed because there were no Asians on the jury that condemned him and his appeal is due to be heard this year.

Baldy has moaned before about being in solitary and has accused prison chiefs of leaving him in "spiritual isolation".

He once asked for a Muslim cleric to pray with him in his cell, but the cleric left in disgust because of the posters he had put up on his walls.

The compensation claims filed by Crazy and Becks are similar to Baldy's.

Crazy, 32, spent three years in solitary but is now allowed to mix with other inmates at Dumfries prison.

His case will come to court on February 5. Becks, 34, who is locked up at Perth, has been in and out of solitary for three-and-a-half years.

A fourth gang member, Daanish Zahid, was convicted at a separate trial of Kriss's murder. He is not seeking compensation.

A former senior policeman who helped bring Baldy, Crazy and Becks to justice is bemused by their complaints.

Retired Chief Inspector Tom Harrigan, who travelled to Pakistan to help secure the thugs' extradition, said: "The solitary conf inement is probably for their own protection. I understand they've been misbehaving in there as well.

"It seems odd that they would seek compensation from the authorities for trying to protect them."

Victims' rights campaigner Bil;yThomson added: "It already costs the taxpayer to keep these men in prison. The idea that they could receive any compensation from our pockets is outrageous."

The Kriss killers are among thousands of convicted crooks to go to court demanding money from the taxpayer.

Thousands have claimed their rights have been breached because they were forced to "slop out" or held in solitary.

Last year, the Scottish Government tried to halt the gravy train with an emergency law which laid down a one-year time limit for human rights claims.

The lawyer acting for Baldy, Crazy and Becks in the compensation case, Tony Kelly, was unavailable for comment last night.

Mr Kelly acted for shotgun killer Somerville and Spanish thug Blanco, who killed a drugs courier, in their compensation cases last year.

He also represented Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi.

WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE A SPELL IN 'THE DIGGER'

A former prisoner at Barlinnie jail, in Glasgow, yesterday told of his spell in solitary confinement .

The first thing you notice about a spell in "The Digger" is that you only have screws for company.

I was sent there after hitting a warden with a chair and quickly told a new set of rules.

Exercise once daily, weather permitting. Showers on request - when the wardens aren't too busy.

The buzzer on the cell wall only to be used in the event of a heart attack or my last breath.

A typical day starts with porridge at 7.30am. Mornings are spent pacing - three steps forward, three back.

If it hasn't been raining it's exercise in the yard at 11am - supervised by a warden.

This time it's about a dozen steps forward, a dozen back.

Lunch is served at midday. The long hours until the next brief spell of human contact are spent staring at the ceiling.

If the request for a shower is denied, next interaction was tea-time - one main course, take it or leave it.

Usually, I left it and had a Mars bar. I wasn't allowed books or magazines.

At one point, I had a radio but it was confiscated after I refused to shave.

After six weeks, I became withdrawn. After three months, I didn't want to talk to anyone.

After five months, I was told I was being returned to the mainstream prison. But by then I really didn't want to go. I wanted to stay with my four walls and ceiling.