After murdering a man who had previously been their friend, and callously cutting his body into pieces to make it easier to hide his remains, one of the killers tried to blame the other for the horrifying act.
Aaron Evitt, 34, repeatedly attacked Ashley Walsh with a hammer, before Evitt's cousin Gerard McGlacken, 45, 'chopped up' his body. The pair then transported his body parts to a local park in four suitcases.
Ashley's cousin, Helen Walsh, said: ”We have heard how he died in horrific circumstances, but the torture endured by his family when they were searching for him in the days after his disappearance was pure hell.
“It sickens me to learn that while we were worried sick, searching for him… he was already dead."
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In Manchester Crown Court, Mr Justice Goose said: "Ashley Walsh was aged 34 when he was callously and brutally killed.
"In 102 areas of injury were included multiple wounds to his head and face caused by repeated hammer blows, and to his body by a number of deep stab wounds to the chest.
"After he was murdered his head was removed and his body dismembered."
The horrific incident unfolded after the three men had been drinking together at McGlacken's flat in central Manchester.
After Ashley allegedly claimed he'd slept with Evitt's ex, Evitt began attacking him with a hammer. The judge said Evitt had lied when during the trial he'd claimed to have acted in self defence.
At the trial, Evitt claimed he then 'blacked out' after attacking Ashley, and only awoke to learn that McGlacken had dismembered him.
"I reject your evidence that you fell asleep and did not know of or see what McGlacken was doing," the judge told Evitt. "This was a small flat and the process took a considerable time.
"You both jointly murdered Ashley Walsh and you jointly needed to dispose of the body."
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The pair then spent days cleaning up the flat, using bleach and painting over blood stained walls. Evitt lied to Ashley's family, claiming he'd "got off with a girl" an disappeared.
Ashley's whereabouts remained unknown until January 16, when Evitt told police his remains had been stored at Sand Hills park in Collyhurst. Suspicions had been raised after Ashley's dog Duke was seen roaming alone in Boggart Hole Clough.
During the trial, Evitt was asked how he felt about his 'friend' Ashley's death. He said: "I know it wasn't my fault, so I don't feel as bad, still bad, but at the end of the day I didn't tell him (McGlacken) to do it."
Helen Walsh said she was 'shocked' to hear the comment. "We feel there has been no remorse shown whatsoever about what happened to Ashley," she said.
Both men were jailed for life and will serve a minimum of 28 years before they can be considered for release.
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