Killer took a ‘smile’ selfie on phone
Unwin’s mobile phone contained records of his conversations with call girls and his bid to buy a gun.
McFall, who had pictures of himself with weapon son his phone, including a gun that was later found to contain heavy traces of Miss Nguyen’s DNA, took a happy selfie with his killing accomplice after the murder – but claimed his “smile” was down to the fact his false teeth were falling out.
The killers concoct eda story when they were arrested that removed them completely from an involvement in the killing and said Miss Nguyen had been alive when she left the house that night after just a brief visit.
But as the proceedings against them progressed and the evidence mounted, the men blamed each other for carrying out the killing.
During the trial, each man, who gave evidence flanked by prison guards, with extra security and police outside the court doors, claimed to be in fear of the other and branded each other manipulative and dangerous liars.
McFall had regular outbursts from the dock and claimed his trial was “unfair”.
Each of them mouthed “liar” to the other during the case and frequently shook their head while the other one was talking.
Prosecutors claimed, despite the regular displays of ill-feeling, that the men remained firm friends who hoped the defence cases would cause confusion and uncertainly over who was truly to blame and that both would be cleared.
Both men claimed to have changed, for the better since their last convictions for murder.
The court heard McFall, who was claiming benefits, was employed as a handman in Unwin’s property maintenance business.