CELEBRITY chef Ferrier Richardson said he was "bitterly disappointed" in the justice system after a martial arts fan who brutally murdered his brother Simon was jailed for 14 years.

Ferrier, who is personal chef to the President and First Lady of Gabon, in Africa, had hoped his brother's killer would be put behind bars for at least 20 years for kicking, punching, stamping on and rifling through the pockets of his defenceless victim.

As revealed in later editions of last night's Evening Times, Luke Quinn, 33, who had previously been deported to the UK from New Zealand after committing a sex offence, was sentenced to a minimum of 14 years.

But Ferrier said: "I am bitterly disappointed in the justice system. Given that he had previous convictions and all the effort the police put into the investigation, I was expecting at least 20 years.

"We were hoping the punish­ment would fit the crime, but in this instance we feel it doesn't. He will be out in 13 years because he has already served a year on remand.

"I don't think the sentence is right for the extent of damage he did to Simon, the fact he rifled through his pockets and took things out, proceeded to kick and punch him again and then boast about it.

"I think he is laughing at us and thinks he got away with it. For what he has done the punishment is far too lenient and we are a poorer society for having a system like that.

"Nothing was ever going to bring Simon back for us, but society has been let down that this person could be walking the streets in 13 years, potentially to do it again and damage another family, mentally and physically."

The court heard how the telesales worker, from Busby, East Renfrewshire, sent a text message to his Taekwon Do instructor to boast about the slaying in Wellington Street in November last year.

In the message, he said: "It's a deadly art. I did a two strike combo.

"I was so relaxed. They took him away in an ambulance convulsing, eyes open, body shaking. I suddenly realised what you had taught me is great responsibility."

Simon Richardson, 45, from Paisley, Renfrewshire, who cared for their mum Ann for 13 years, was on a rare day out with his best friends to watch St Mirren, his favourite team, play Partick Thistle at Firhill.

He had just left them to get a taxi home when burly Quinn pounced on him and left him dying in the street.

The Richardsons' mother died six weeks later, aged 77, "of a broken heart" because she was lost without her son.

Ferrier and his wife Ann-Marie said it was heartbreaking Simon was robbed of the chance to be with his mum when she died and to rebuild his life.

He said: "We can never move on from this or get closure because nothing will bring Simon back.

"The galling thing is that by the time Quinn gets out of jail he will be the same age as Simon was and if anyone should get their life back at that age it should have been my brother for everything he did for our mother."

Sentencing, Judge Bill Dunlop told Quinn: "No value can be put on the life that was lost and that you took. Nothing can do that."

Quinn showed no emotion as he was led handcuffed to the cells.

Simon worked as a front of house manager for his brother Ferrier, who owned a string of restaurants in Glasgow before moving to West Africa four years ago.

Ferrier flew back to Glasgow for the trial and sentencing.

The father-of-two has bought a house in Glasgow's East End and plans to return in two years.

He said: "Simon was a wonderful human being, whom everyone loved. I could not have asked for a better brother.

"I don't know what we would have done without him.

"He cared for our mum for 13 years. He was great with her and had the patience of a saint.

"What this excuse for a human being has done to all of us, I would not wish on any other person's family.

"My fear is that if this guy can do it once he can do it again."

janice.burns@ eveningtimes.co.uk