• Angus Sinclair has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 37 years for the murders of Christine Eadie and Helen Scott.

• The sentence is the longest handed down by a Scottish court.

• The judge Lord Matthews said: "You are a dangerous predator. You have not displayed one ounce of remorse."

That's all from the Scotland Live team this evening.

Image source, PA

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: "This case came to court after the Scottish government brought forward the Double Jeopardy (Scotland) Act, external, which was unanimously passed by parliament.

"Double jeopardy is a centuries old principle of Scots law which prevents a person being tried twice for the same offence, but in this day and age, there should be no escape from justice.

"We have acted in the interests of Scottish justice, victims and their families and we hope this news brings some comfort to the families of the victims of these terrible crimes."

Helen Scott's father Morain praised Edinburgh police for keeping the evidence from that night in 1977 so that it could be used 37 years later when new techniques of identifying DNA samples had been developed.

"They did not destroy one bit of evidence. They kept everything all these years," he said.

The judge presiding over the case of Angus Sinclair, who was convicted of killing two teenagers 37 years ago, said in his statement: "The girls [Christine Eadie and Helen Scott] were subjected to an ordeal beyond comprehension and then left like carrion, exposed for all to see, with no dignity, even in death."

Morain Scott said he could not believe the way in which Angus Sinclair conducted himself in the witness box when he gave evidence during the trial. "His answers were ridiculous," Helen Scott's father said.

Mr Scott called Sinclair a "beast" and said he was quite sure he had committed more crimes.

Helen Scott's father Morain Scott, who is now 84, said it was what he been fighting for over the past 37 years. "I promised my late wife I would fight to the end of my days.

"It will be closure I hope for some of my family. It will never be closure for me because I saw Helen that night when she was brought up from East Lothian and I'll never forget as long as I live what I saw that day. What they had done to my beautiful daughter."

"Decades after their deaths, Helen and Christine's legacy is to have changed Scotland's justice system for the better," Mr Scott said.

"Politicians came together for Helen and Christine and the introduction of the Double Jeopardy amendment will prevent other families suffering in the way that we have."

Helen Scott's brother Kevin said: "We have waited 37 years for justice. Today that wait has ended. We finally have justice for Helen and Christine. It has been a long, and at times, very lonely battle but in our different ways we did not give up."

Mr Scott said: "Today's conviction of Angus Sinclair is the result of decades of painstaking work by police and prosecutors.

"We, and Christine's family, would like to offer our heartfelt thanks."

Mr Scott also thanked the Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland "without whose years of meticulous work this case would not have been brought back to court".

Image source, PA

Mr Scott said Christine Eadie was a fun-loving girl who enjoyed going out, loved pop music - in particular Donny Osmond - and shopping for the latest fashions. She was a "popular, friendly and likeable girl, who her family dearly-loved".

Helen Scott was described by her brother as a "country girl" who did not quite grasp fashion in the way others did. "Jeans and a T-shirt were fine". Mr Scott said Helen had "beautiful blue eyes and a beautiful smile, never to forget".

Kevin Scott [first left], the brother of murdered World's End victim Helen Scott, said the 37-year minimum sentence handed down to Angus Sinclair was "appropriate" as it was 37 years since the murderers took place.

Judge Lord Matthews told Sinclair: "Whatever dreams they had, they turned into nightmares shortly after they left the World's End Pub, the name of which has become synonymous with these notorious murders.

"Little were they to know that they had the misfortune to be in the company of two men for whom the words evil and monster seem inadequate."

Former Detective Superintendent Allan Jones added: "It brings a great level of satisfaction to see this verdict rendered. The families of Christine Eadie and Helen Scott have waited 37 years to see justice, and today that has finally been delivered and I hope this will bring them a degree of closure and solace.

"I worked on this case, at varying levels, for 35 years. It was a case that got under the skin of everyone who worked on the enquiry, and indeed, everyone who worked within the former Lothian and Borders Police force.

"After the disappointment of 2007, it brings a degree of personal and professional satisfaction to see a positive result.

"Angus Sinclair is a dangerous man who has several convictions for murder and sexual assault. He should never again be at liberty."

Det Ch Supt Flannigan added: "Those officers and scientists from 1977 and continuing through the generations are true heroes, for without their care and attention, without their absolute determination to preserve the clothing and samples for some development they could not have dreamt off, then this historic moment could not have happened.

"The actions and the determination of everyone over the years to fight for justice for Helen's and Christine's families is ultimately what has led to this moment."

Det Ch Supt Gary Flannigan, from Police Scotland's Major Investigation Team, said: "Today's verdict is the culmination of 37-years of dedicated police work and continued partnership working alongside the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

"The World's End murders investigation is a remarkable enquiry. Not only because it is the first where a conviction has been secured following the Double Jeopardy legislation, but also because of the exemplary level of foresight demonstrated by police and forensic scientists during the initial stages of the investigation."

The father of Helen Scott made a promise to his wife on the day she died that he would pursue the truth about what happened to their daughter.

Morain Scott, 84, said: "I made that promise. I didn't know how I was going to do it, but I would try to get this conviction."

Read more here.

Angus Sinclair will be 106 years old before he will be eligible for parole.

• Angus Sinclair has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 37 years for the murders of Christine Eadie and Helen Scott.

• The sentence is the longest handed down by a Scottish court.

• The judge Lord Matthews said: "You are a dangerous predator. You have not displayed one ounce of remorse."

Lorna Gordon
BBC News Scotland correspondent

2001 Sinclair convicted of the murder of a young women #worldsend jury told.