A Westhoughton businessman has been jailed for six years for helping to dispose of the body of a murdered market trader by setting it on fire.

Terence Cook, of Landedmans, was convicted yesterday at Preston Crown Court and branded by the judge, Sir Rhys-Davies QC, as a "careful and calculated individual" who was lured by "false glamour".

The 54-year-old, who ran a plastics recycling company in Atherton at the time, was found guilty by 11-to-one of assisting Savvas Petri, aged 52, from London, who was jailed for life for the murder of John Harvey.

Cook was cleared of being involved in the killing and of carrying a firearm with intent.

The court heard Mr Harvey, aged 59, from Enfield, London, was shot in the back of the head in an "execution-type" murder. He had been subjected to a vicious beating before he was killed.

Petri's son, Theo, aged 21, also from London, was cleared of murder but was also found guilty of assisting his father to dispose of the body and was sentenced to six years.

The three men dumped the body in a field near Killington Lake Services on the M6 in Cumbria, on April 24, last year.

Cook had denied being involved in the murder and the disposal of the body.

He claimed Petri and his son had turned up unannounced at his factory. He said they were business associates and he had visited Petri Snr in London on several occasions.

Petri Snr murdered Mr Harvey and drove with his son, Theo, to Westhoughton where they met Mr Cook. The men had talked frequently on the phone during the journey north along the M6.

Cook claimed he agreed to go on a drive with the father and son to collect some money owed to them, and only found out about the dead body in the boot an hour-and-a-half into the journey.

Prosecution say the men drove to Scotland in search of a suitable place to dispose of Mr Harvey's body. It was claimed Cook eventually directed Petri to a remote lane off junction 37 near to where some of his friends had lived.

Sentencing Cook, Sir Rhys-Davies said: "Mr Harvey was murdered with some brutality in what was described as an execution. You are the only one who knows what motivated you to come to the aid of the Petris.

"The evidence indicates you were not involved in the murder and became involved as the result of a request made to you by Savvas Petri. Without you, the disposal of the body would not have taken place.

"I suspect you were lured by a certain false glamour, by association with people, some of whose names we have heard. Your part in the disposal was less than Theo Petri but you don't have the excuse of the family connection."

In a statement, the Harvey family said: "Although nothing will ever bring back our dad, granddad and son, we feel at least some justice has been done today. We never got to say our goodbyes, which he rightly deserved because he was a respected, caring, loving family man and a friend to many. He will be dearly missed."

DCI Keith Churchman, who led the investigation which was codenamed Operation Junction, said: "I am pleased that the sentences will allow Mr Harvey's family to face the ordeal of the court case with courage and dignity and to get on with their life, but much about the final moments of Mr Harvey's life and the circumstances of his death remains unknown."