A FATHER, his daughter and her boyfriend have been found guilty of murdering a dad-of-four outside a Derbyshire social club.
A jury returned the guilty verdicts on Vincent Aitken, 44, of Chapel Street, Kilburn, Emma Aitken, 19, and Nathan Doherty, 27, both of Portland Street, Derby, at Leicester Crown Court today.
Aitken's wife Pamela Aitken, 41, was found not guilty of assisting an offender in relation to the killing of Barry Smith.
There was gasps of "yes" in the public gallery as each guilty verdict was read out. And there were instant sobs of relief from most members of Mr Smith's family who were in court to hear the verdicts. Moments later, there were loud gasps of shock when Pamela Aitken was found not guilty of assisting an offender. Following the verdicts, a heart-breaking impact statement from Mr Smith's partner, Rowena Pearson, was read to the court. Tears continued as Miss Pearson's statement described how Mr Smith had been "the love of my life". "We would have been together forever," it read. "I have lost everything in life. "I've got no heart for anything any more. Barry was the best thing that ever happened to me." Mr Smith's burnt body was discovered by two dog walkers outside Kilburn Welfare Social Club on the morning of October 6 last year.
The 48-year-old was beaten to death with a fence post dragged to a pile of rubbish and his body set alight. Mr Smith, previously described by his family as "a proud gypsy" had lived in Kilburn for six years.
He lived in Mayfield Avenue and his cause of death was multiple injuries. In court to hear the verdict were his former wife, Dawn Smith, his four children and members of his family who have travelled to each day of the seven week trial from their homes in Doncaster and North Lincolnshire.
Mr Smith was a father to daughter Billy-Jo, 22, and sons Barrie-John, 20, Luke, 19, and Nathan, 16. He also had three grandchildren – Josephine-Star, two, Selina-Louise, one, and eight-month-old Arlie-John.
