Two bouncers have been jailed for life for killing two men in a row over a girlfriend.

Raffaele Esposito and Sean Jackman were convicted at Liverpool Crown Court of killing the pair at Esposito's flat in Southport, Merseyside.

They had accused Frances Perry, 40, and Paul Hagan, 36 - both from Huyton, Merseyside - of being over friendly with Esposito's girlfriend.

The victims had been staying the night with a friend who lived next door and their bodies were found the next day.

These were brutal, callous and vicious murders Judge Justice Royce

Both had suffered serious head injuries caused by being hit with a baseball bat.

The court heard that Jackman, 33, of Portland Street, Southport, had urinated over their victims.

Esposito had admitted attacking Mr Perry because he had "his hands all over" his girlfriend.

'Begging for lives'

But he claimed they were still conscious and talking when a third man - Joseph Sammon - allegedly hit them with a gas bottle and kicked and punched them.

Mr Sammon - who also claimed the pair were dead by the time he arrived at the flat - was cleared of murder by the jury on a majority verdict.

Imposing a life sentence for each murder, the judge, Mr Justice Royce, said: "These were brutal, callous and vicious murders. The deceased men were begging for their lives."