RELATIVES of slain East Perthshire teenager Robbie Thomson have been left to await his killer’s fate following a harrowing High Court trial. David Barker (25) was found guilty by a jury on Monday of murdering the 17- year-old shop worker by stabbing him and throwing his body in the Coupar Burn, where he drowned. The horrific crime in the early hours of March 26, 2009, shocked residents in Coupar Angus, and it emerged at the trial at the High Court in Dundee that Robbie had been stabbed 11 times by Barker. Sentence on the fiend was deferred until September 22, pending a plea in mitigation to be led in Edinburgh by solicitor advocate Iain Paterson, and the preparation of background reports. Yesterday, Tayside’s Area Procurator Fiscal Tom Dysart described the effect that the frenzied attack had left on Robbie’s loved ones. "Robbie Thomson was stabbed to death in a brutal act carried out with disturbing ferocity and callous violence, by a man he thought of as his friend," said Mr Dysart. "The reasons why David Barker carried out this attack may never be known. What is known is that he appeared to be on good terms with Robbie Thomson when they left the house together a short time before Mr Thomson’s death. "Yet again, we see the devastating effect that knives have on individuals and on the local community. "Knife carriers have no place in our society and we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those who carry a knife with the intent to use it know how seriously police and prosecutors take such offences. "The actions of David Barker on that day in March have devastated the family and friends of Mr Thomson. "Although this conviction cannot undo the suffering that he has caused, I hope they can take some comfort in knowing that he has now been brought to justice." Robbie, who worked in a shop in Perth, had only returned to Perthshire from Australia weeks before he was killed. He was reported missing during the early hours before police confirmed they had found the body of a young man in a stream a short distance away later the same day. A police dog handler and his dog made the grim discovery. At the High Court on Monday, the jury returned a not proven by majority verdict on a separate rape charge faced by Barker. After nine days of evidence, judge Lady Clark of Calton sent the jury out at 11.30am on Monday to consider their verdicts, and by 3.15pm Barker had been found unanimously guilty of murdering Robbie. The not proven verdict related to an alleged rape by Barker on a 19-year-old woman on the same day as Robbie’s murder. At the close of the trial Lady Clark said she wanted to express the sympathy of the court to the family and friends of the deceased. She said: "It was a terrible and horrible death and the jury have now made a verdict bringing home the responsibility and culpability for that death." During the trial, the court heard that Robbie was repeatedly stabbed by Barker using a single-edged 12-inch blade. The knifing had taken place beside the Coupar Burn between Greenburns Farm and Thorn Alley and had, said forensic medical examiner Dr Enrico Risso, been done so with substantial force. During his evidence, Dr Risso said Robbie had sustained a number of defensive injuries from putting his arms up to protect himself during the attack. After the jury of eight men and seven women had returned their verdict, the court was told by advocate depute David Young that Barker had a number of previous convictions. The habitual criminal had been sentenced to detention and imprisonment 10 times by the age of 23. His offences included road traffic violations, breaches of the peace and regular flaunting of court orders. Barker had attended one of a series of all-night weekend parties held at Robbie’s Brodie’s Yard property, which he shared with two friends. But no link was made between his violent actions on the day Robbie was killed and over-consumption, with no initial reason for the pair’s fateful confrontation ever fully advanced in court. Evidence was heard of a possible debt, amid allegations of petty theft and drug use involving the pair, while Barker had claimed within hours of his arrest: "We were mates and we fell out over some bird." The Crown refused to accept Barker’s admission to inflicting a single stab wound on Robbie and his guilty plea to culpable homicide, which led to the murder trial. Robbie’s Australia-based mother Lorraine Scofield paid tribute to her son, who was described by neighbours as "a personable teenager". "It’s hard to believe that anyone could have done this to my son," she said. "He was such a gentle boy who died in such a violent way. As a mother, it was my worst nightmare that came true. "I’d like to thank my family and everyone involved in the investigation for the tremendous support they have shown me since Robbie’s death. "Their love and support is very much appreciated." Tayside Police’s Detective Chief Inspector Greig Steele welcomed the jury’s verdict and praised his investigation colleagues for their diligence, including the underwater search team who helped trace Robbie’s body after he went missing. "While no sentence will bring back a human life, we are pleased that justice has been done," he declared. "However, our thoughts still very much remain with Robbie’s family and friends who are still trying to come to terms with his untimely death. "Only David Barker will know the reasons behind this extremely violent murder." More than 50 local police officers became involved in the investigation immediately following the murder. | 
