TWO men who abducted, tortured and murdered missing businesswoman Lynda Spence were today beginning life in prison.

Colin Coats, 42, was jailed for a minimum of 33 years at the High Court in Glasgow, while his co-accused, Philip Wade, also 42, was ordered to spend at least 30 years behind bars.

Trial judge Lord Pentland said Coats was the "prime mover" behind the 27-year-old's kidnapping and that he is convinced of his "devious and cruel personality".

David Parker, 38, and Paul Smith, 47, admitted holding Ms Spence at Parker's flat in West Kilbride, Ayrshire, in April 2011. They were sentenced to 11 years three months, and 11 years respectively.

The pair were charged with murder but their pleas of guilty to a reduced charge of detaining Ms Spence against her will, assaulting her and attempting to defeat the ends of justice were accepted by the Crown.

Lord Pentland said it was Parker and Smith's "despicable and cowardly" acts, by providing a place for Ms Spence to be held and guarding her for Coats and Wade, that contributed to what happened to her.

The judge described the crimes against Ms Spence as "truly monstrous and barbaric".

He said of Coats: "From the extensive evidence, I am left in no doubt you were the more dominant actor. You were the prime mover behind the abduction, torture and murder of Lynda Spence. I am convinced you have a devious and cruel personality.

"In my considered view, you are a ruthless and dangerous man."

As the sentences were heard in court, all four men stood with their heads bowed. Gasps were heard from the packed public gallery as Wade was handed his 30-year jail term.

Ms Spence's parents, James and Patricia Spence, were at the hearing.

Coats and Wade taped the financial adviser to a chair in a flat in Ayrshire in April 2011. They then assaulted her every day for almost two weeks before killing her.

A jury yesterday found them guilty following an 11-week trial.

Coats and Wade forced Ms Spence into a car on Broomhill Path, Glasgow, on April 14, 2011, and drove her to West Kilbride, Ayrshire, where David Parker and Paul Smith let them in to Parker's flat in Meadowfoot Road.

When she arrived, Ms Spence was wearing sunglasses which were taped on the inside, and Coats gripped on to her waist.

Wade carried in a tool bag which was referred to during the trial as "the torture kit", containing garden loppers, surgical tape and vinyl gloves.

They whisked her to the attic area and taped her to a leather chair by the arms and waist.

In the days that followed, the two men would arrive every day to hurt her, as a way of trying to extract financial information.

She was burned with an iron, hit with a golf club and they crushed her toes, cut off her thumb and severed her pinkie.

Parker told how he originally believed the arrangement was to help somebody who needed to get out of Glasgow, but as the situation "snowballed" he could see no way out.

Ms Spence as not allowed to move from the chair for the 13 days she was there.

THE court heard how Ms Spence and Coats were involved in a land deal at Stansted Airport, in which Coats claimed to have invested all of his money.

Wade was described as his "right-hand man" in the killing and later told a friend, Pamela Pearson, that he helped dispose of a woman's body.

Following the verdict, the officer in charge of the murder investigation, Detective Superintendent Alan Buchanan, said: "Police Scotland is pleased the persons responsible for the abduction and horrific murder of Lynda Spence have been brought to justice.

"I hope in some small way this will bring some satisfaction to Lynda's parents. Although satisfied with the verdict, the pain for the Spence family continues as due to the actions of the accused, Mr and Mrs Spence have been unable to lay their daughter to rest.

"At this time I would appeal for those convicted to show some common decency and tell us where Lynda is in order that we can get her back to her parents and allow them to grieve properly."

The jury of six men and seven women took about 20 hours over five days to come to their verdicts.

As the jury's verdicts were read out, Coats and Wade sat in the dock and made no sound. They were led back down to the cells with their heads bowed.

James and Patricia Spence said afterwards: "There is no verdict that will bring our daughter Lynda back.

"We'll never begin to imagine her suffering or comprehend the cruelty of any person who would do that to another human being. "Lynda was a warm, kind and thoughtful daughter and was someone who always had time for others.

"We miss her so much."