A SHOPKEEPERwho helped murder 15-year-old schoolboy Kriss Donald - in the first race crime of its kind in Scotland with a white victim - was jailed for life yesterday.

A judge ordered that Daanish Zahid, 20, should serve 17 years in prison before he can even apply for parole.

Lord Philip said at the High Court in Edinburgh: "The public has rightly been shocked and horrified by the callous, brutal and prolonged nature of these crimes and the ordeal which the victim had to go through."

Lord Philip said he had to take into account the nature of the crimes in fixing a punishment part of the sentence.

He said he noted that a background report on the killer said he had shown little indication of remorse.

However, the judge also told him he took into account that his role was one of aiding and abetting and supporting those who were the main participants in the attack.

Zahid's co-accused, Zahid Mohammed, 20, also of Shields Road, who was cleared of the murder but admitted abducting Kriss, was jailed for five years and will be kept under supervision for a further five years.

The judge told him that he recognised he had given evidence which was of considerable assistance to the Crown and added: "I acknowledge that action on your part could not have been done without some courage."

Members of Kriss's family could be heard sobbing when the sentence was handed down.

Three other individuals, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are still wanted by the police in connection with the death.

Ian Duguid QC, his defence counsel, said Zahid had genuine remorse for the fate of the victim. Derek Ogg QC, for Mohammed, said a contract had been taken out on him.

Kriss was taken from a street in Pollokshields, Glasgow. He was beaten, stabbed repeatedly and set alight with petrol while still alive. His body was found near a Celtic Supporters' Club in the east end of the city in March this year.

Zahid, a first offender, was earlier unanimously convicted of the racially aggravated murder of Kriss by a jury.

He was also found guilty of racially aggravated assault on a friend of the dead youth and attempting to defeat the ends of justice by burning the silverMercedes car used in the abduction.