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Bellfield given 'whole life' term | Bellfield given 'whole life' term |
(20 minutes later) | |
A man who murdered two young women and tried to kill a third has been given a "whole life" sentence. | A man who murdered two young women and tried to kill a third has been given a "whole life" sentence. |
Levi Bellfield, 39, from west London, bludgeoned Amelie Delagrange, 22, and Marsha McDonnell, 19, after they got off buses in south-west London. | Levi Bellfield, 39, from west London, bludgeoned Amelie Delagrange, 22, and Marsha McDonnell, 19, after they got off buses in south-west London. |
He was also found guilty of trying to kill Kate Sheedy, then 18, in 2004 and has been named as a prime suspect in the 2002 murder of Milly Dowler, 13. | He was also found guilty of trying to kill Kate Sheedy, then 18, in 2004 and has been named as a prime suspect in the 2002 murder of Milly Dowler, 13. |
Bellfield refused to attend sentencing because of "overnight bad publicity". | Bellfield refused to attend sentencing because of "overnight bad publicity". |
'Web of deceit' | 'Web of deceit' |
Sentencing Bellfield at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, Mrs Justice Rafferty said: "You have reduced three families to unimagined grief. | Sentencing Bellfield at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, Mrs Justice Rafferty said: "You have reduced three families to unimagined grief. |
"What dreadful feelings went through your head as you attacked and, in two cases, snuffed out a young life is beyond understanding." | "What dreadful feelings went through your head as you attacked and, in two cases, snuffed out a young life is beyond understanding." |
Explaining her sentencing she said: "Aggravating features are the chronicle of violence directed towards lone vulnerable young women during the hours of darkness and substantial premeditation and planning." | Explaining her sentencing she said: "Aggravating features are the chronicle of violence directed towards lone vulnerable young women during the hours of darkness and substantial premeditation and planning." |
The judge also praised Det Ch Insp Colin Sutton, who led the case, for seeing through Bellfield's "web of deceit". | The judge also praised Det Ch Insp Colin Sutton, who led the case, for seeing through Bellfield's "web of deceit". |
Bellfield is main Milly suspect class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7264527.stm">Years of agony for parents | |
"This case has depended on thousands of hours of unglamorous, painstaking work by officers who took their lead from you," she said. | "This case has depended on thousands of hours of unglamorous, painstaking work by officers who took their lead from you," she said. |
Bellfield is the second person in the UK to be handed a "whole life" term in four days. | Bellfield is the second person in the UK to be handed a "whole life" term in four days. |
Steve Wright, who killed five women in Suffolk at the end of 2006, was given the same sentence at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday. | Steve Wright, who killed five women in Suffolk at the end of 2006, was given the same sentence at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday. |
The Old Bailey heard that Bellfield had refused to attend his sentencing because of a "welter of accusations" that he was behind other unsolved crimes. | The Old Bailey heard that Bellfield had refused to attend his sentencing because of a "welter of accusations" that he was behind other unsolved crimes. |
His barrister, William Boyce QC told the judge: "Overnight there has been what some consider to be a quite extraordinary explosion of bad publicity." | His barrister, William Boyce QC told the judge: "Overnight there has been what some consider to be a quite extraordinary explosion of bad publicity." |
Blunt instrument | Blunt instrument |
The wheel clamper from West Drayton carried out attacks on the three students in 2003 and 2004. | The wheel clamper from West Drayton carried out attacks on the three students in 2003 and 2004. |
Police suspect him of carrying out 20 other attacks on women, including date rapes. | Police suspect him of carrying out 20 other attacks on women, including date rapes. |
He is also the main suspect in the murder of Milly Dowler, who went missing on her way home from school in Walton-on-Thames in Surrey on 21 March 2002. | He is also the main suspect in the murder of Milly Dowler, who went missing on her way home from school in Walton-on-Thames in Surrey on 21 March 2002. |
They were cowardly attacks, cowardly crimes he had been sentenced for and his cowardice carried through to this morning, he couldn't even face it Det Ch Insp Colin Sutton class="" href="/1/hi/england/london/7264633.stm">'Bellfield blighted our lives' | |
Her body was found in Yateley Heath, Hampshire, six months later. | |
Miss McDonnell was hit three times on the head with a hammer just yards from her front door after she got off a bus in February 2003. | Miss McDonnell was hit three times on the head with a hammer just yards from her front door after she got off a bus in February 2003. |
In a similar attack in August 2004, Miss Delagrange was hit on the head with a blunt instrument on Twickenham Green while she was walking home after missing her bus. | In a similar attack in August 2004, Miss Delagrange was hit on the head with a blunt instrument on Twickenham Green while she was walking home after missing her bus. |
Miss Sheedy, who is now 21, suffered a broken collarbone, a punctured lung and other internal injuries when Bellfield drove his people carrier into her and reversed back over her in May 2004. | Miss Sheedy, who is now 21, suffered a broken collarbone, a punctured lung and other internal injuries when Bellfield drove his people carrier into her and reversed back over her in May 2004. |
Open wound | Open wound |
In an impact statement Dominique Delagrange described the pain of losing her daughter Amelie. | In an impact statement Dominique Delagrange described the pain of losing her daughter Amelie. |
She said: "Her loss is an open wound that will never heal. We shall never get over it." | She said: "Her loss is an open wound that will never heal. We shall never get over it." |
Miss McDonnell's uncle, Shane, said: "Marsha's murder was an act of pure evil, an innocent girl attacked from behind with no motive, no reason and no justification." | Miss McDonnell's uncle, Shane, said: "Marsha's murder was an act of pure evil, an innocent girl attacked from behind with no motive, no reason and no justification." |
The two young murder victims were followed after getting off buses | The two young murder victims were followed after getting off buses |
Meanwhile, Miss Sheedy said: "To this day I still suffer from nightmares." | Meanwhile, Miss Sheedy said: "To this day I still suffer from nightmares." |
At Bellfield's trial the jury of seven women and five men were unable to reach verdicts on two other charges. | At Bellfield's trial the jury of seven women and five men were unable to reach verdicts on two other charges. |
These were the kidnap and false imprisonment of Anna-Maria Rennie, 17, and the attempted murder of hairdresser Irma Dragoshi, 33. | These were the kidnap and false imprisonment of Anna-Maria Rennie, 17, and the attempted murder of hairdresser Irma Dragoshi, 33. |
The Crown Prosecution Service said it would not seek a retrial on the two counts. | The Crown Prosecution Service said it would not seek a retrial on the two counts. |
Speaking after the sentencing Det Ch Insp Sutton said he was disappointed Bellfield did not come to court. | Speaking after the sentencing Det Ch Insp Sutton said he was disappointed Bellfield did not come to court. |
"They were cowardly attacks, cowardly crimes he had been sentenced for and his cowardice carried through to this morning, he couldn't even face it." | "They were cowardly attacks, cowardly crimes he had been sentenced for and his cowardice carried through to this morning, he couldn't even face it." |
Outside court, Miss Sheedy and the families of Miss McDonnell and Miss Delagrange, who attended the sentencing, all agreed Bellfield was a coward and welcomed his whole life term. | Outside court, Miss Sheedy and the families of Miss McDonnell and Miss Delagrange, who attended the sentencing, all agreed Bellfield was a coward and welcomed his whole life term. |