THE GANGSTER who killed a Uttoxeter dad in a horrific road rage attack has had his appeal over the length of his sentence thrown out by judges who called his crime utterly appalling.
Thug Paul Lyons claimed his punishment of 12 years in jail for the murder of Mark Fleeman, of Windsor Road, was too severe and appealed to the Court of Criminal Appeal, in Edinburgh.
Lyons, 29, admitted at a hearing in April a charge of culpable homicide, fleeing to Spain to avoid prosecution and driving while disqualified and without insurance.
He was high on drink and drugs when he forced Uttoxeter father-of-two Mr Fleeman, 32, off the M74 in Lanarkshire. Passenger Lee Allsup, 17, was left fighting for his life by the attack.
At the Edinburgh court on Friday, defence advocate Chris Shead said the 12-year sentence did not give Lyons enough credit for pleading guilty, and so avoiding a trial, and was looking for the sentence to be cut by a third.
However, Lord Reed told Lyons: “You have been convicted of a crime which can only be described as utterly appalling.” Lyons will also remain under supervision for three years at the end of his prison sentence.
Shopfitter Mr Fleeman died at the scene of the incident, while colleague and college student Mr Allsup spent more than a month in hospital after suffering horrific injuries.
Lyons, who was banned from the road at the time, had chased Mr Fleeman, who had gesticulated to him about his erratic driving.
The gang member, at whose father’s garage three men were shot, fled to Spain in the days after the murder but was snared by police at Alicante airport in September.
Remarkably Lyons had attempted after his sentence to have his lifetime driving ban overturned but his appeal has since been rejected by authorities.
