The killers of innocent father-of-three George Lynch have been jailed after a Supreme Court jury found them both guilty of his premeditated murder.

Rickai Dickinson and Wolda Gardner were also found guilty of gun possession for the May 5, 2010 killing, said to be a case of mistaken identity involving a St George’s gang.

Mr Lynch’s mother-in-law, Rita Woolridge, broke into tears as the two men were led from the dock.

“George was a good man — he didn’t deserve that,” Ms Woolridge told The Royal Gazette. “I feel good that it’s over, but I feel bad he is not here for his children.”

The 40-year-old Jamaican national was married to Bermudian Nekesha Holdipp, with whom he had a stepson, Enaharo Holdipp, as well as daughters Emoy and Eshe.

He was gunned down as he stood outside a the Hamilton Parish residence of a neighbour who had just given evidence in a Supreme Court trial.

The jury deliberated five hours before finding Dickinson, 29, unanimously guilty on both counts.

Ordered by Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves to reach a majority verdict on Gardner, 34, the 12 jurors returned in minutes with ten declaring him guilty.

Mr Justice Greaves remanded both for sentencing.

Outside the courtroom, Detective Chief Inspector Nicholas Pedro hailed the double conviction as sending “a strong message to the community”.

“It’s important to remember that this case was particularly tragic, in that it involved an innocent man in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said.

“These two men will spend a significant amount of time in prison.”

Det Ch Inp Pedro said the sealing of the case also emphasised the importance of people coming forward and assisting police.

Added Detective Inspector Michael Redfern: “This was a completely senseless murder. I just want to thank the family members of George Lynch, who kept their faith and trust in us as investigators — and the support we had from the public.”

According to prosecutor Carrington Mahoney, Gardner ordered the killing, while Dickinson took part in the attack itself.

At the trial’s outset last month, the court heard statements from Philmore Phinn and Kevin Simons, who were drinking with Mr Lynch in Mr Phinn’s front yard on the evening of the shooting.

The two ducked into the Midland Heights Crescent home to arm themselves after spotting a black motorcycle with two riders.

Moments later, at around 10.30pm, Mr Lynch was fatally shot. According to testimony from a former friend of Gardner’s, the defendant later said the intended target had been another man — Tamasgan Furbert.

Securing guilty verdicts for the two closes a long journey for authorities: Dickinson and Gardner were first charged in January of 2013.

Gardner, in a statement to police, maintained that he had nothing to do with the murder, while Dickinson claimed he knew nothing of it, but that on one occasion he touched the firearm involved — said to be an Astra A-100 pistol.

Defence lawyers Charles Richardson and Craig Attridge also called into question the evidence of two key witnesses for the prosecution. In his summation, Mr Justice Greaves noted that both men were alleged by the defence to be “recipients of the largesse of the Crown”.

However, a former member of the gang East Side Crew told the court Dickinson, who worked alongside him at the Corporation of St George’s, had appeared pleased to see the murder reported by this newspaper ­— and later posted a BlackBerry message reading: “Paid my dues, front page news.”

“My understanding was that he had done something significant to show his loyalty to the East Side Crew,” the witness said.

And the court also heard that Gardner’s phone, seized by police within days of the murder, included a text message to Dickinson sent on the night of the killing: “I am coming east tomorrow to get the dog” — allegedly the gang’s code reference for guns.

Neither man spoke after their conviction. They are likely to be sentenced at the August 4 arraignments session.