John Fergusson jailed for life for Johnstone murder of John Wright A killer bludgeoned his friend to death with a hammer in a drunken attack. John Fergusson was jailed for life with a minimum of 16 years for murdering John Wright in Renfrewshire. The High Court in Edinburgh heard on Tuesday that Fergusson did not have a clear recollection of what occurred on the day of the hammer attack on November 30 last year. Mr Wright, 51, was found dead on a sofa in the flat in Chestnut Place, Johnstone, but Fergusson, 43, and their friend Lynne Pearson were not in the property. He was struck on the head with the hammer 15 times by Fergusson. Defence QC Gary Allan told the court: "The trio were in what could be described as an alcohol co-operative in that whoever had money bought drink. The circumstances of this drunken event are, in many respects, far from clear. The lawyer added that Fergusson's own recollection was "entirely stunted" by the alcohol he had consumed. Judge John Morris QC noted that at the time of the murder it was Mr Wright's turn to buy alcohol for the group. He told Fergusson: "It is very sad that alcohol addiction has turned you from a responsible working man into a drunken killer." The trial previously heard how Fergusson had tried to dodge the blame by asking Ms Pearson to say that Mr Wright had arrived at the flat already injured. But when questioned by police she "got honest" and told them Mr Wright was bleeding heavily as Fergusson hit him with a hammer. "I was just shouting 'stop it, stop it'," she said.