The brutal murderers of a lonely and vulnerable pensioner, who had predicted his own death, were today starting life sentences.

Jonathon Langley, 22, repeatedly stamped on the head and face of 72-year-old Jankee Jaimungal after the widower made lewd comments and tried to indecently touch his girlfriend.

Leeann Lamb, 21, joined in the ferocious attack in revenge for what Mr Jaimungal had done to her, Leeds Crown Court heard.

And 46-year-old Ian Trafford, who was also vulnerable, might have played his part in the violence for the satisfaction of attacking someone weaker than himself, a judge said.

Mrs Justice Swift, sentencing them to life imprisonment after they were convicted of murder yesterday, told them: "This was a vicious and sustained attack resulting in terrible injuries. Your victim was vulnerable by reason of his age and mental health problems."

Lamb and Langley, who lived together in Prospect Road, Heckmondwike, and Trafford, of Maythorne Avenue, Staincliffe, Batley, will have to serve a minimum of 14 years behind bars before they can be considered for release.

But the judge warned them: "It doesn't follow that you will then be released. If the Parole Board considers further detention is necessary for the protection of the public, it will so order."

Lamb and Langley, a window cleaner, will serve 253 days less for the time they have spent in custody since their arrest.

All three denied murder but were found guilty by a jury after a two-week trial.

Mr Jaimungal suffered severe facial fractures, lost consciousness and drowned in his own blood after the three attacked him in Trafford's flat, where they had all been drinking, on the evening of March 20 this year.

After kicking, punching and stamping on him, the killers left him for dead while they bought alcohol from an off-licence - probably with money stolen from their victim. As they returned to the flat they agreed on a cover-up story that Mr Jaimungal was already injured when he arrived. By the time they raised the alarm it was too late to save him.

All three blamed each other for causing the fatal injuries. The judge told them: "You have shown no remorse for Jankee Jaimungal or your behaviour towards him. All you have been intent upon is saving your own skins."

She told Lamb: "You took the opportunity to go through his pockets to see what you could find, and found his mobile phone which you used to boast to your grandmother about what you had done."

Mrs Justice Swift told Langley that Mr Jaimungal's coarse remarks and attempts to touch Lamb might have been offensive, but were typical of his inappropriate sexual behaviour which had led to his conviction for indecent assault.

"There is no suggestion you felt threatened by his behaviour or at any risk from his attentions that could not have been dealt with by the three of you remonstrating with him."

She said the life of Trafford, who kicked the victim but did not stamp on him, had been dominated by his need for alcohol which had made him a vulnerable character. "You may just have wanted the satisfaction of helping in an attack on someone weaker than yourself."

The judge continued on: "It must have been obvious his condition was life-threatening, yet none of you did anything to assist him. Instead, you calmly went to the off-licence."

She said Mr Jaimungal had told a neighbour about the people he was mixing with, including Lamb and Trafford: "One day they will kill me." The judge added: "His remarks were indeed prophetic."

She said she accepted the defendants intended to cause serious bodily harm rather than to kill and the attack had not been pre-meditated.

Det Supt Tim Forber, who led the police investigation, said they had taken advantage of an elderly, vulnerable man and fully deserved to spend a long time in prison.