Two murderers hit their friend with a dog lead and stamped on his head during a "brutal and motiveless" attack.

Ryan Gibb, 30, and Cameron Laurie, 31, murdered James Chadwick at his home in Holland Street, Aberdeen, at a time between August 31 and September 1 2015.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard they launched the attack on 38-year-old Mr Chadwick after spending the day drinking.

Gibb and Laurie, who were described in court as being alcohol dependent, launched the attack after arriving at Mr Chadwick's home, repeatedly punching and kicking him on the head and body.

The pair then struck their victim with a dog lead before repeatedly stamping on his head, resulting in his death.

They then tried to destroy evidence linking them to the crime by cleaning Mr Chadwick's blood from the floors and surfaces of his property.

Gibb and Laurie, who spent their three-week trial on remand at HMP Grampian, denied having anything to do with the crime but on Thursday, after spending 24 hours deliberating their verdict, a jury found the two men guilty of murder.

They were also convicted of a second charge of destroying evidence which linked them to the crime in an attempt to defeat the ends of justice.

The court heard Mr Chadwick, described by one witness as a "cheeky chappy" had been a friend of his killers.

Passing sentence, judge Lord McEwan told the men, who have previous convictions, that he had no other option but to sentence them both to life imprisonment.

He added: "You have been both convicted of a brutal murder of a man in his home. This gentleman had done you no wrong or expressed ill will towards you.

"As far as the evidence has shown this was a motiveless crime. I cannot distinguish between you. Neither of you is of good character. I will therefore set the punishment part of your sentences at 18 years."