Reggae star Scoobie 'murdered by a stranger'

A REGGAE singer who had a hit song in the Nineties has been murdered in west London.

Scoobie Santino, whose real name is Ian Newtion, was found with his throat cut by a passerby in an underpass at the Greenford roundabout at 9am on Sunday. Police believe he may have been attacked an hour earlier.

The father-of-one, 45, who worked as a delivery driver, had been walking home from a hall in Rockware Avenue - known as the "Scout Hut" - where he had been singing for nothing for a 60th birthday party the night before. Detectives say there is no evidence of a robbery and are investigating the killing as a "stranger attack".

Mr Newtion, who lived in Fulham, had a hit in 1990 called Money Honey with reggae artist Sweetie Irie, who also accompanied the band Aswad.

Mr Newtion's brother Cleave said today: "We are absolutely devastated. Ian was a hard-working family man who loved his music."

Police said Mr Newtion had no links to crime and there was no apparent motive for the killing.

Anyone with information should call 0208 358 0400 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.