The seven-year sentence imposed on a man who killed his two baby sons in Scotland has been welcomed by the public bodies involved in the case.

Ian Metcalfe, from Locharbriggs, Dumfries, was originally charged with murder but was convicted of the lesser charge of culpable homicide after his trial in July.

Social services admitted to failings in their care of Dylan Lockerbie, who died when he was five months old in 1996.

Metcalfe, 34, was also found guilty of assaulting and killing another son, Kyle, aged 10 weeks, in 1988.

He should not be in prison. He does not deserve to be in prison

Maureen Lockerbie Mother of Dylan

A joint statement from the police, health officials and the local authority, issued today said they were all pleased with the sentence.

"This man... has been brought to justice thanks to the increasing sophistication of forensic science and to the persistence of the many agencies involved in this case," it said.

Accused 'distraught'

At the High Court in Edinburgh, defence counsel Donald Findlay QC said Metcalfe was distraught at his conviction and maintained his innocence.

Passing sentence, Lord Carloway said: "You have been found guilty by a jury of killing two of your children by asphyxiation and earlier assaults on these children to the danger of their lives."

He said he took into account that the jurors were not satisfied that the acts of infanticide should be categorised as murders.

Metcalfe, pictured after trial

The case had taken a considerable time to come to trial and Metcalfe was a first offender, the judge pointed out.

The killer's fianc�e and mother of Dylan, Maureen Lockerbie, is standing by Metcalfe and repeated her belief that he was innocent.

"He should not be in prison," she said. "He does not deserve to be in prison.

"He is a loving person who would do anything for anybody. Now we will be concentrating all our efforts on an appeal to hopefully get him released."

'Cot deaths'

His ex-wife and mother of Kyle, Michelle Johnstone, was in court to see sentence passed but left without commenting.

The deaths of Kyle and Dylan were originally put down as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or a cot death.

But Metcalfe's trial heard the opinions of a number of clinicians who said they thought the babies had been physically abused.

He killed Kyle at his then family home in Annan by suffocating him. Six years later, he killed Dylan by similar means.