full force of the law as they were sentenced to life in prison for the death of a grandmother.

Chief Justice Austin Ward dismissed defence lawyers' calls for leniency and added a further eight and a half years each for burglary -- rejecting pleas for 18 months already spent in custody to go toward their sentence.

On Tuesday, the pair were convicted by a jury of murdering their Victoria Row, Ireland Island, neighbour, Beatrice Simons, following a bungled burglary on December 2, 1997.

They will serve a minimum of 15 years for murder before they are eligible for parole.

An emotional Eberly was heard crying as he was led away by Prison officers.

Pitcher seemed indifferent as he was taken to a waiting Prison van.

And feelings ran high as the two walked from the Supreme Court, a woman shouted at Pitcher "your judgment day is sooner than you think''.

Both men publicly protested their innocence of killing the 69-year-old widow before Mr. Justice Ward handed down the sentences.

But Mr. Justice Ward said: "This was a revolting case of senseless brutality.

You burgled the home of an elderly neighbour who you knew to be living alone.'' And he gave them no credit for pleading guilty to burglary at the start of the three-week trial.

Both men had previous convictions for theft and breaking and entering, and had spent time in prison. Pitcher was released from prison just two months before the December, 1997 crime.

Senior Crown counsel Peter Eccles called for the maximum sentence for burglary.

"This was a burglary that resulted in death,'' he pointed out.

Lawyer Mark Pettingill said US born Eberly, 35, who has twin five-year-old daughters, had cooperated with Police, and had come forward with vital evidence.

Pitcher, 33, single, had committed all his offences to satisfy his addiction to drugs and alcohol, but was now clean, said his lawyer Saul Froomkin.

During the trial the jury heard how Mrs. Simons was viciously beaten during the raid on her house. She died five days later at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital after suffering an arterial thrombosis.

No mercy for murderers The men had entered her house, looking for cash to buy crack cocaine, which they had been smoking that evening.

Eberly claimed he had heard the victim's screams whilst Pitcher was upstairs.

But Pitcher said he put his fingers in his ears as Eberly attacked her, after saying he was going to knock her out.

Both defendants initially denied any knowledge until Eberly contacted officers, saying "he couldn't stand it any longer and had to get it off his chest''.

Last night, Mr. Pettingill confirmed that he would be lodging an appeal on Eberly's behalf.

Saul Froomkin was unclear whether Pitcher would pursue an appeal. He said: "I am not in a position to say at this time.''