Woman tortured her flatmate to death then posted 'RIP' message on Facebook (photos)

A woman who tortured her 'vulnerable' flatmate to death then posted a message of condolence on his Facebook page has been jailed for just 12 years. 

Georgina Smith, 22, was part of a three-person gang that beat, stabbed and strangled Scott Blackwood to death before trying to set fire to his body at a flat in Saltcoats, Ayrshire in July last year.

She was yesterday sentenced to 12 years in prison after being found guilty of culpable homicide - one month are her co-accused Allan Nicol, 36, and Thomas Moore, 26, were convicted of murdering the 30-year-old and jailed for a minimum of 20 years each.

Georgina Smith, 22, posted an RIP message on Scott Blackwood's Facebook page just four days after helping to torture the vulnerable man to death

Sentencing Smith, judge Lord McEwan said: 'You have been found guilty by the jury of the culpable homicide of Scott Blackwood a litany of horrific assaults on this young man.

'In your evidence you said you loved this him, well each man kills the thing he loves and that is what you have done.'

Lord McEwan said that three victim impact statements from Mr Blackwood’s family revealed that the consequences of his death for them are 'dire to put it mildly.'

Mr Blackwood had been relentlessly bullied by the group in the hours before his death, Glasgow High Court was told.

The court heard that at one point Smith had threatened to pour a mixture of boiling water and sugar over Mr Blackwood for no apparent reason.

Fake condolence: In the message she posted on Facebook, Georgina Smith called Mr Blackwood her 'best mate' and even vowed to see his killers jailed

Witness Sean Sinclair, 20, told how he went to Nicol’s home on the night of the horror and discovered Mr Blackwood badly beaten.

He said Moore stood over him armed with metal pole that was covered in blood.

In a police interview, Mr Sinclair went on: 'Tommy hit Scott with the bar-bell. Alan started laying into Scott on the side of the legs.'

The killers eventually dragged a badly injured Mr Blackwood to his own home because Nicol was 'panicking' about the blood in his property and saying 'I don't want him dying in here'.'Georgie was shouting ‘finish him, finish him’. Georgie just kept egging Tommy on.'

Once Mr Blackwood was in his own home the attack continued, with Smith beating him while Nicol held him upright.

Mr Blackwood suffered 72 separate injuries including scalds and chemical burns, 13 stabs wounds and three broken ribs.

His eye socket and cheekbones were smashed and he had also been strangled .

In her police interview, Smith told police that the attack started when Moore hit Smith on the nose with a metal bar.

'I could hear the sound of bone crunching and Allan was shouting at Scott; 'Lick your blood',' she said.

'Scott was shaking and crying. Tommy poured a bottle of turps over him and Allan stamped on his face. Part of his ear was bitten off.'

When Mr Blackwood collapsed, his killers took him to the bathroom, tied him to the bath with a dog lead, and poured paint solvent over him.

Smith then tried to set Mr Blackwood on fire, but Mr Sinclair said he stopped her 'because it wasn't working'.

It is thought the killers may have continued to beat and stab Mr Blackwood after he died, with pathologist Dr Julie McAdam saying his head injuries were like those suffered by car crash victims.

Victim: Vulnerable Scott Blackwood was found with 72 separate injuries including chemical burns, 13 stab wounds, three broken ribs, a broken eye socket and cheekbone

The group then when back to Nicol’s house and washed their blood-stained clothes, with Sinclair saying Moore scream that Mr Blacwood 'f****** deserved it' - something Smith vocally agreed with.

Days later Smith posted a message on Mr Blackwood's Facebook page pretending to be in mourning, calling him a good mate and saying she had been the only one there for him.

Defence QC Neil Murray, representing Smith, said that she was a vulnerable young woman who had had a horrific upbringing and childhood.

He told the court: 'Miss Smith continues to deny any involvement in the death of Mr Blackwood'.

'However, she broke down in tears when asked by a social worker about Mr Blackwood’s death. And said she knew how the family must feel to an extent because she has lost someone close to her,' he added.