A SICK thug offered to help look for a woman's missing husband – just hours after he helped kill him.

Stephen Mack, 53, teamed up with nephew Jackson Mack, 21, to brutally attack Stephen Anderson last October.

The 51 year-old victim was battered, bound and struck with a machete following a row.

His body was then hidden under a mattress at Stephen Mack's home in Gartcosh, Lanarkshire.

Stephen's worried family were later concerned about his apparent disappearance.

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The dad's wife Karen Anderson contacted Stephen Mack – described as a “friend” of her husband.

Despite what happened, prosecutor Kath Harper told the High Court in Glasgow: “He said he had not seen him and asked her if she wanted him to help look for him.”

Police later made the grim discovery of Stephen's corpse before the Macks were held.

The pair faced a murder allegation, but each had their guilty plea to the reduced charge of culpable homicide accepted.

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It emerged Jackson Mack had been freed early from jail just 17 days before the killing.

The duo were remanded in custody pending sentencing next month.

The hearing was told the victim drove his Mercedes to visit Stephen Mack last October 29 - the night of the attack.

Miss Harper said he was last seen at 9.49pm.

The exact circumstances of the killing remain unclear.

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Miss Harper said the Crown could not “confirm or dispute” the Macks account of what happened.

They insist an argument and a struggle erupted before Jackson Mack punched Stephen and then struck him on the legs with a “bladed weapon”

The pair were then said to have been “on top” of the victim.

The charge lists a number of accusations including Stephen having his ankles tied, his mouth covered with tape and being hit with a machete.

Miss Harper told the court: “After a short period of time...it became apparent Stephen Anderson was dead.”

The body was put under a mattress in a bedroom and covered with “other household items”.