The two men were already serving life sentences for brutally murdering pensioners in their homes during the course of unrelated burglaries when they met in prison as cellmates.

Unwin had set the home of his first victim – a 72-year-old man he bludgeoned and stabbed to death on Christmas Day 1998 – on fire in a bid to destroy evidence.

McFall, of Waterloo Road in Blackpool, had murdered an 86-year-old widow with a hammer in 1996 after she disturbed him ransacking her house.

But they were both judged suitable for release on licence in 2010 and 2012 respectively and made contact again around three years ago.

Police tracked and arrested both men the day after finding Ms Nguyen’s body in the burnt-out car, and discovered they had used her bank cards to withdraw a total of £1,000.

They denied any involvement in her murder but were not aware CCTV from a neighbouring home had recorded their movements.

Ms Nguyen, who was just 5ft and weighed seven stone, leaves behind a five-year-old son and six-year-old daughter. She had moved to the UK seven years ago and had studied at a London university.

Her sister, Quynh Ngoc Nguyen, said the family “cannot comprehend” how McFall and Unwin had been allowed to go free after their first murders.

Quyen Ngoc Nguyen, 28, had two young children (Northumbria Police)

“My sister believed, as I did, that you came to this country for a safer life, with better opportunities for herself and her children,” added the 35-year-old, who had attended court for the trial.

“They did not act like human beings, they are evil.”

Quynh said her sister came to England for a “better life” and to improve her education, teaching herself English and living the life she had dreamed of.

“It breaks my heart that I will never see Quyen again but the result today does give us some justice,” she said after the sentencing.

“She was a devoted mother and an amazing sister. I will remember her beautiful smile forever.”

Detective Inspector Ed Small, of Northumbria Police, said the case was one of the worst he had to investigate in 25 years of being a police officer.

“Nobody should ever go through what Quyen endured that night and some of the evidence heard during the trial will haunt her family forever. 

“They have shown no remorse throughout and have refused to take any responsibility for their actions. 

“The fact they thought they could get away with Quyen’s murder despite the overwhelming evidence against them, shows their level of their arrogance. It is my honest opinion, they will never change.”

He added: “The sentence handed to William McFall and Stephen Unwin today means they will never be released to kill again. 

“I hope the families of all their victims, will take some comfort from today’s sentence in the knowledge that these two evil men are locked up for good.”

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