Two notorious killers have ditched plans to challenge their jail sentences after appeal judges signalled a tougher stance in murder cases.

Mohammed Faisal “Beck” Mushtaq was ordered to serve at least 22 years for the racist murder of 15-year-old Kriss Donald and his co-accused Zeeshan “Crazy” Shahid was given a minimum term of 23 years.

Both planned to appeal against the minimum terms they were given as part of their life sentences for the murder, claiming they were excessive.

But, following the introduction last week of new guidelines for the sentencing of murder cases, judges at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh were told yesterday that both murderers now wanted to abandon their appeals.

The victim’s mother, Angela Donald, who was in court said she was pleased at the outcome. She said: “I am just delighted it is not a lesser sentence.”

Mushtaq, 34, Shahid, 32, and his brother Imran “Baldy” Shahid, 33, were all convicted of the racially aggravated murder of the teenager who was repeatedly stabbed and set on fire in March 2004.

The older brother was ordered to serve a minimum term of 25 years’ imprisonment before he is eligible to seek parole. He is continuing to contest his conviction.

He was seen as the leader of the gang who set out in search of revenge after an earlier incident in which a bottle was thrown at him on a night out in Glasgow.

The trial judge, Lord Uist, told the trio that they had been found guilty of the abduction and murder of a “wholly innocent” slightly-built teenage boy.

Kriss was taken on a car journey from Glasgow to Dundee and back before he was fatally attacked on a walkway beside the Clyde.