A SECURITY guard who used a hammer to bludgeon a man to death and tried to do the same to a second victim has been convicted of murder and attempted murder.

For just over three weeks, a Carlisle Crown Court jury was shown damning evidence of 20-year-old Jack Crawley's hidden life - and his dark fascination with a serial killer and determination to violently target gay men. 

As the jury delivered the two guilty verdicts, Crawley showed no emotion, staring impassively ahead as the judge told him he will be sentenced on Wednesday morning.

It took the jury eight hours and 22 minutes to deliver the verdicts.

Crawley's co-defendant, 20-year-old Marcus Goodfellow, was cleared of knowing anything about the killing of Mr Taylor as he travelled in his car with Crawley on October 19 last year, the day after the killing.

Crawley's first  victim was Cumberland Infirmary catering manager Paul Taylor, a 56-year-old married former soldier who had a secret life of sexual liaisons at gay "hook up" sites. He met Crawley through the gay dating app Grindr.

It was as they met late on October 18 last year that Crawley became a killer, unleashing a frenzied hammer attack.

Mr Taylor (pictured) suffered fatal head wounds, his skull and face shattered by at least ten forceful blows.

(Image: Cumbria Police)

Crawley then bundled the corpse into the boot his Mr Taylor's Vauxhall Corsa before moving it to Finglandrigg Nature Reserve, west of Carlisle, where he first tried to burn the remains before dumping them in a hollow.

The Annan man's disappearance triggered desperate police appeals for information.

But despite arresting Crawley on suspicion of murder, the police at that stage initially had no body and insufficient evidence to charge him. 

After he was released, Crawley skipped his bail.

Using a bizarre disguise - featuring a wig and a fake European accent - the then 19-year-old took trains to Aberdeen, Glasgow, and York, where he targeted a second gay man in an "almost carbon copy" attack, meeting his intended victim on a remote country lane and again using a hammer as a weapon.

Forensic tents at Finglandrigg wood near Carlisle, where Paul Taylor's remains were foundForensic tents at Finglandrigg wood near Carlisle, where Paul Taylor's remains were found (Image: Cumbria Police)

During the trial, the man described fighting for his life.

Though injured, he disarmed his attacker, fighting back before Crawley fled into the night.

Aged 19 at the time, the killer claimed he was being controlled by a London-based crime gang. 

He only ever meant to steal Mr Taylor's car, he said.

Crawley also told the jury he used a claw hammer on the victim near York because the man threatened him.

The jury rejected both explanations. 

In court, Crawley tried to lie his way out of a murder conviction.

He claimed Mr Taylor was fatally injured when he fell during a struggle as he tried to steal his car; he inflicted the skull and face fractures as he used a hammer in an attempt to break up his victim's dead bod, he claimed.

Crawley also tried to explain away defence injuries on Mr Taylor's arm bones - evidence of his desperate attempt to protect himself. According to Crawley, the injuries resulted from him shutting the Corsa's boot lid on his victim's arm. 

The jury saw through all his lies.