AN evil duo who murdered a mentally-ill man in a horrific hammer attack were today jailed for at least 18 years each.

AN evil duo who murdered a mentally-ill man in a horrific hammer attack were today jailed for at least 18 years each.

Ian Taylor and Tracey Hastie strapped Brian Sharp to a chair before hitting him on the body with the tool more than 80 times.

The pair - fuelled by Buckfast - also stabbed the defenceless man in the chest with a fork.

Mr Sharp, 38, had earlier allowed them to stay in his Glasgow flat after they had become homeless.

Taylor, 35, and Hastie, 38, - who knew each from their time at a addiction re-hab centre - were convicted after a trial at the High Court in Glasgow in July.

Both tried to dodge justice by blaming each other for the brutal attack.

Judge Lord Brailsford today said the incident was "violent in the extreme" and told the accused that he had to impose a life sentence.

The judge added: "This murder was perpetrated on a plainly innocent man - a man with long-standing psychiatric problems.

"The victim appears to have let you both into his home at a time when you were homeless.

"That act of charity was horrendously abused. This is a matter of the utmost seriousness."

The judge said both would receive the same sentence and ordered them to serve at least 18 years before they could apply for parole.

Hastie, of Rosemount Street in Royston, broke down as the sentence was passed.

Taylor, of Centre Street in the Gorbals, gave the thumbs-up to family members as he was led to the cells.

The court had earlier heard the grim details of Mr Sharp's murder at his home in the city's Scaraway Terrace, Milton, on October 23 or 24 in 2006.

Prior to the assault, the victim and the accused had been drinking.

Hastie was once a neighbour of Mr Sharp.

For no apparent reason, Taylor and Hastie later turned on Mr Sharp and bound him to a chair with tape.

They then set upon him with a hammer, leaving him with horrendous and multiple injuries.

The court heard Mr Sharp was struck on the body at least 80 times.

The pair then left their victim before Mr Sharp's body was discovered in the flat around 2pm on October 24.