A BARRHEAD murderer had his throat slit by a fellow prisoner while he was exercising away from his cell.

Thomas Peacock, who is serving a 17-year sentence for the brutal murder of Douglas Lambie, was attacked by James O’Rourke in HMP Kilmarnock.

O’Rourke was handed a nine-year sentence at the High Court in Glasgow this week after pleading guilty to trying to murder Peacock.

The court heard that when O’Rourke was told his victim had survived the attack, he replied: “Pity.”

Peacock became known as the ‘pizza box killer’ after he helped kick Mr Lambie to death in Walton Street, Barrhead, in the early hours of December 17, 2005.

Along with his accomplice Brian Sim, he put a pizza box over Mr Lambie’s face and jumped repeatedly on his head.

Mr Lambie died after choking on his own blood.

The court was told both thugs covered Mr Lambie”s face with the pizza box because they didn’t want his blood to spoil their designer clothes.

Peacock, of Stewart Street, was convicted of murdering 45-year-old Mr Lambie.

He was also found guilty of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by washing clothes, and burning the pizza box at a flat near the murder scene.

Sim, of Thornliebank, was sentenced to a minimum of 15 years for his part in the attack.

This week, the court heard how Peacock was targeted by convicted killer O’Rourke in June this year.

O’Rourke, 49, has been behind bars since 1992 following the murder of a man in Airdrie, Lanarkshire.

His most recent sentence had been an eight-year stretch imposed in 2005 for stabbing a prison escort and a senior jail official, also at HMP Kilmarnock.

Prosecutor Liam Ewing QC told the latest hearing how the attack on Peacock was captured on CCTV.

“O’Rourke approached from behind, grabbed him and then cut Peacock’s throat from left to right,” said Mr Ewing.

As Peacock was left clutching his neck, a blood-stained O’Rourke was stopped by guards.

He then handed over what was described as a “piece of pointed metal.”

Peacock suffered a 20cm wound and needed surgery, which has left him permanently scarred.

He later claimed to have no idea why he was attacked or who the culprit was.

Lady Scott told O’Rourke the nine-year sentence for the murder bid would have been 12 years if he had not admitted his guilt.