TWO drug-crazed thugs who hunted down a father after a petty argument and killed him in a "vicious and savage" attack have been jailed for life.

Neil Smitheman, who stabbed Scott Upton 11 times, will be behind bars for a minimum of 25 years. Kieran Morris will have to serve 20 years before he is considered for parole.

Judge Andrew Patience, QC, told Smitheman: "Time and again you plunged that knife into that defenceless man's body, all of which he would have experienced in the last few moments of his life before he died.

"It is hard to think of a more terrifying, wicked, callous and heartless, as well as monumental act, of cruelty."

Violence erupted in the dock at Maidstone Crown Court between Smitheman, 25, and 26-year-old Morris after they were convicted of murder.

The pair had to be separated by prison officers as Morris shouted: "I've done nothing." There were shouts of "kill him" from the public gallery and the judge ordered that it should be cleared.

The jury heard how Smitheman inflicted the wounds on Mr Upton, 34, while Morris wielded a crowbar.

The victim had asked Smitheman to get him drugs on October 12 last year. The two men argued in phone calls and Smitheman was angry that Mr Upton might have tried it on with his girlfriend Nicky Collier.

Smitheman and Morris drove from Sittingbourne and tracked Mr Upton down in a car park at the White Horse pub in Rainham.

They chased him over a drop and carried out the frenzied attack.

Smitheman, of Station Road, Rainham, Morris, of Speedwell Close, Gillingham, and a 17-year-old girl, from Gillingham, all denied murder.

The girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was acquitted. She was convicted of perverting the course of justice and will be sentenced on October 3.

Roofing contractor Ian Haben, of Cavell Way, Sittingbourne, was acquitted of perverting the course of justice.

Det Chief Insp Mick Judge, of Kent Police’s major crime department, said: "This was a planned attack where the murderers travelled from Sittingbourne to Rainham looking for Mr Upton, over what was described by the judge as a monumentally trivial issue.

"After finding Mr Upton, they hunted him down and killed him. This is a tragedy for the family and the three children he leaves behind."

DCI Judge said good detective work quickly led police to establish the events leading up to Mr Upton’s death.

He added: "This verdict also demonstrates that people who assist offenders and try to escape justice will be found by us and prosecuted."

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