Machine gun killer serving life sentence for brutal Edinburgh slaying caught with mobile phone in prison for fourth time

A machine gun killer serving a life sentence for a brutal slaying in an Edinburgh suburb has been caught with a mobile phone in prison for the fourth time.

Cadil Huseen, 29, was part of a gang who gunned down Mohammed Abdi in Duddingston during a bloody drugs feud in 2014.

Huseen is serving a minimum 25 year sentence and Perth Sheriff Court was told today that he will not be eligible for parole until 2038.

He admitted having a mobile phone and charger hidden in his cell at Perth Prison on 16 December last year when it was searched by prison officers.

Fiscal depute Michael Sweeney told the court: "The accused's cell was searched and an iPhone and charger were found behind the television in the cell."

Solicitor Paul Ralph, defending, said: "He was given 30 days in segregation as a result of this. He is still in Perth Prison. He is not eligible for parole until 2038."

Sheriff Gillian Wade jailed Huseen for eight months and said: "There is no alternative. You already have three analogous offences on your record."

Huseen and fellow gang members Mohamud Mohamud and Hussein Ali admitted killing Mohammed Abdi with a sub-machine gun.

Mr Abdi died from a chest wound after being gunned down and all three were sentenced to life with a minimum 25 year punishment period in jail.

Lord Turnbull said the trio were part of a "wholly corrupt lifestyle" and were prepared to "engage in violence of an extreme nature".

Omar Abdi, the victim's father, said after they were sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow: "Nothing will bring my son back, but I am relieved to know the persons who committed this terrible crime will no longer be able to hurt anyone again and I hope no other family will suffer as we have.

"I would like to thank wholeheartedly the various communities across Edinburgh who were affected by this tragic death and who went on to provide vital support to the police investigation.

"I was heartened when I saw the number of cards and flowers that were laid where my son died and provided me with comfort that he had been a friend to a number of people who shared in my grief."

A trial earlier heard how a large Somalian crime network, with London connections, operated in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Huseen and Ali were involved in large-scale drug dealing with Mohamud a close associate.

The victim Mr Abdi had been close to the group, until he set up a rival drug gang.

This sparked a series of tit for tat incidents between the gangs before it escalated to the fatal shooting.

Five shots were discharged from a machine gun, three hitting Mr Abdi.

Another was fired from a converted revolver, but it was a bullet from the machine gun which proved fatal after it struck Mr Abdi in the chest.

Mohamud was caught at the scene by police, while Huseen hid in a shed and then fled to London where he was arrested weeks later.

Ali fled to Kenya, but later agreed to return to the UK after extradition proceedings began.