Piper Craig Hepburn's murderer given life sentence A VIOLENT offender has been jailed for life for stabbing a man to death in a village street just three months after he was released from custody. Luke Elliott, 22, was ordered to serve a minimum of 22 years for murdering Craig Hepburn in Marsden, West Yorkshire, after a judge described the frenzied attack as "random and spontaneous" and carried out for no apparent reason. His co-accused, Anthony Driver - who has 54 convictions for 128 offences including violent knife crime - was found guilty of the 19-year-old's manslaughter and jailed for 13 years. Both men were on licence for serious offences when they killed Mr Hepburn, Leeds Crown Court heard. Elliott had been recently released from a young offenders institution where he was being held for actual bodily harm, while Driver, 38, had been jailed for wounding with intent but freed seven to eight months before he killed Mr Hepburn. After Mr Hepburn was stabbed 11 times with a lock-knife and left for dead in a pool of blood, Elliott boasted to friends that he believed he had killed a man. Driver, meanwhile, was photographed "partying" soon after the attack, the court was told. Mr Hepburn, a talented bagpiper, suffered severe internal injuries and died soon after he was stabbed, jurors heard during a five-week trial. He had arrived in the West Yorkshire village hours earlier to visit his uncle with his friend Connor Paton, also 19, who was also stabbed but survived by "sheer good luck," probably because he was wearing a thick padded jacket, the judge, Mrs Justice Lang said. Elliott, who has nine previous convictions, some for violent crime, was also found guilty of his attempted murder. Both young men had travelled from their home in Linwood, near Paisley, Renfrewshire, and were approached by Elliott and Driver as they walked back from a night out on Friday July 6 last year. "They were looking forward to an enjoyable stay with Craig's uncle," Mrs Justice Lang said as she sentenced the defendants. They spent a happy evening in the pubs and bars of Marsden meeting local people. She said Mr Hepburn played some tunes on his bagpipes, adding: "People gathered around him clapping and cheering" before the two friends headed back to his uncle's house. As they walked through the quiet streets, you Driver, and you Elliott, came up behind them and soon picked a fight about nothing. Mrs Justice Lang described it as a "random and spontaneous attack" after the court heard both victims, who had been drinking and were clearly not local, were "deliberately targeted" as they walked back to Mr Hepburn's uncle's home. As Mr Paton continued walking, Mr Hepburn was punched and stabbed, jurors were told. He returned to help and was knifed three times. "It was a frenzied attack on a defenceless man," Mrs Justice Lang added, saying that while she was satisfied from the evidence that it was Elliott who used the knife and the assault was a "joint enterprise," Driver did not know he was carrying it. You destroyed Craig's life for no reason when he was in his prime and had his whole life ahead of him. You've caused indescribable pain to Craig's family. They are serving a life sentence of loss and grief. They have sat here during the trial with quiet dignity listening to you telling lie after lie. Your only concern has been to save your skin. In a statement read to the court today, Mr Hepburn's family said they were robbed of seeing their son "grow into the young man he could have been." Mrs Justice Lang said the fact both defendants had recently been released from custody and were on licence was an "aggravating factor" that had to be reflected in their sentences. Driver, who the court was told has a history of drug use and "violent knife crime," and Elliott, both denied all charges. After deliberating for 10 hours and 20 minutes, the jury cleared Driver of Mr Hepburn's murder and the attempted murder and wounding with intent of Mr Paton. Driver, of Grange Cottages, Marsden, and Elliott of Main Avenue, Cowlersley, did not show any emotion as they were jailed.