A CONVICTED killer murdered an innocent pensioner less than a year after being freed from a life sentence.

Steven Ryan stabbed stranger Gordon Murphy 15 times with a scissor blade in an unprovoked attack last December.

As the 65 year-old lay dying in the street, Ryan went on to buy drugs he claimed boosted his "sexual prowess".

Mr Murphy - who had previously survived cancer - died in the attack close to his front door in Govanhill, Glasgow.

Ryan struck just 11 months after being released from prison. The 43-year-old had been jailed for life in 1994 for the high-profile murder of Glasgow procurator fiscal Marshall Stormonth at his home in the city's west end.

Ryan denied this latest killing, insisting he had been a "good samaritan" by coming to Mr Murphy's aid after the victim was set upon by mystery attackers.

But, Ryan was again convicted of murder following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

Judge John Morris QC ordered Ryan to serve a minimum 25 years as he was given a second life sentence.

Describing the "barbarity" of this latest crime, he told Ryan: "It may be that you will never be released."

Mr Murphy was attacked around midnight on December 20 last year. Ryan's partner Cherie Marshall told the jury that they had had a row and were walking round the streets when he told her to "hold on" and suddenly crossed the road.

She told the jury how Ryan was soon in a "scuffle" with a man in the city's Ardbeg Street.

The 35-year-old added: "The guy was not putting up much of a fight. Steven was attacking him.

"I did not know at the time, but Steven had obviously stabbed him - I did see blood."

Miss Marshall said she ran over and could see the slumped victim was "in a bad way".

The witness added: "He had blood on him and seemed that he was in pain."

The jury heard Miss Marshall make a 999 call soon after the attack. Ryan also came on the line at one point.

But the pair left the scene and headed across the city to buy crack cocaine. Ryan also ditched the murder weapon into the Forth and Clyde Canal close to the city's Possilpark.

The court heard Mr Murphy died after one of the stab wounds struck his heart.

A post mortem examination revealed signs that he had possibly tried to defend himself

Ryan was initially traced by detectives as his phone had been used to make the 999 call.

He gave evidence during the trial and denied being the killer. He claimed he spotted a fight that night before two people fled as he ran across the road. He said "a guy" was left slumped across a hedge.

Ryan went on: "I bent down and asked was he OK. I could see a lot of blood on his chest. I kind of panicked."

Under cross-examination, prosecutor Alex Prentice QC said Ryan appeared to be suggesting he had been a "good samaritan" by helping Gordon.

The killer: "Yes, that's right."

After the verdict, the advocate depute told the court that Mr Murphy was man who had "no criminal past whatsoever".

Mr Prentice added: "He lived alone and was employed by G4S as a security guard.

"He has been described as a quiet, unassuming man, who kept himself to himself and enjoyed a pint with close friends."

The court heard Mr Murphy had been in a relationship with a woman from Ireland. She had been planning to travel over to Scotland to spend Christmas with him before he was killed.

Ryan was only 21 when he killed lawyer Marshall Stormonth in a crime that shocked Scotland. Along with his then 17 year-old brother Dean, he strangled the fiscal with a tie and belt before robbing a bank card, keys and money.

Mr Stormonth's home in Glasgow's North Kelvinside was then set on fire with the body still inside.

The court heard that Ryan's life sentence for the murder of Mr Stormonth involved a punishment part of 10 years but he spent double that behind bars before being freed in January last year.