TWO men have been found guilty of the 'sexually motivated and sadistic murder' of a kind-hearted lad who got in with the wrong crowd.

Twenty six-years old Shaun Fitton, also known as Shaun Anthony Hall, died after he was sexually attacked with a mop handle, stripped naked and covered in white paint.

He was then dumped head first in to a wheelie bin and hauled up and down a street before being found wailing pain in a Hindsford back yard by police, who had been alerted by worried neighbours.

He died the next day from multiple organ failure after suffering serious head and abdominal injuries sustained in the videoed attack on August 31 last year.

Owen Skeat, 23, of Bowling Green Row, Howe Bridge, and Shaun Beatty, 20, of West Bank Street, Hindsford, were found guilty at Liverpool Crown Court of his murder.

Two co-accused, Michael Gerrard, 22, of Rivington Street, Howe Bridge, and Rebecca Birt, 22, also of West Bank Street, were cleared of the murder, but mum-of-one Birt was convicted of manslaughter.

Gerrard was found not guilty of that offence and discharged from the dock. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply when he was acquitted but the other defendants showed no emotion, though Skeat had his folded hands pressed hard against the dock security screen.

They had all pleaded not guilty.

It took the jury of seven women and five men six hours 40 minutes to return their unanimous verdicts after a four week trial.

Welcoming the verdict Mr Fitton's father, Anthony Hall, said, “I think the verdicts are correct and I would like to thank the jury, police and everyone for their efforts for getting this trial to a conclusion.

“I think Shaun has finally got justice and can finally be laid to rest and hopefully be with God. His family will always be thinking of him and I will never forget him until the day I die.

“He was a kind hearted lad, always helping others but sadly he had got in with the wrong crowd.”

The three defendants were all further remanded in custody to await sentence on April 9.

During the trial it was alleged that the attack on Mr Fitton was a “sexually motivated and sadistic killing” and the judge, Mr Justice Henriques, told the jurors: “Your verdicts are exactly the verdicts I would have returned. I cannot always say that.”

The court had heard how Mr Fitton, of Atherton, was attacked because while drunk at her home he had crudely asked Birt to have sex with him which upset her boyfriend, Beatty.

Neil Flewitt, QC, prosecuting, told how Beatty attacked him and Skeat and Gerrard arrived at her home and after a further attack Mr Fitton was stripped naked and covered in white paint.

He suffered serious abdominal injuries after being assaulted with a mop handle and was then dumped head first in a wheelie bin and hauled up and down nearby James Street before being found wailing in pain by police, who had been alerted by concerned neighbours.

Investigating officers found a video camera in the house which showed three clips of the attack which had been filmed by Birt.

Gerrard told the court that he had not been involved at all in the attack and believed he had been upstairs at the time. When he came downstairs everyone was in the back yard.