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| Brothers jailed for killing woman | Brothers jailed for killing woman |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Two brothers have been jailed for a minimum of 35 years for murdering a 65-year-old restaurant owner after she refused to hand over her life savings. | Two brothers have been jailed for a minimum of 35 years for murdering a 65-year-old restaurant owner after she refused to hand over her life savings. |
| Dean Atkins, 26, and Michael Atkins, 25, beat Kam Chung during a burglary in Cowley, west London, in November 2006. | Dean Atkins, 26, and Michael Atkins, 25, beat Kam Chung during a burglary in Cowley, west London, in November 2006. |
| The pair, of Uxbridge, west London, who kicked and punched Mrs Chung, later injured a man during a second burglary. | The pair, of Uxbridge, west London, who kicked and punched Mrs Chung, later injured a man during a second burglary. |
| Sentencing the brothers to life, Judge Steven Kramer QC described the attack on Mrs Chung as "pitiless and brutal". | Sentencing the brothers to life, Judge Steven Kramer QC described the attack on Mrs Chung as "pitiless and brutal". |
| They were also found guilty at the Old Bailey of two counts of aggravated burglary, wounding with intent and possessing an imitation firearm. | They were also found guilty at the Old Bailey of two counts of aggravated burglary, wounding with intent and possessing an imitation firearm. |
| Alleged accomplice Thomas Carty, 21, took his own life last February while awaiting trial. | Alleged accomplice Thomas Carty, 21, took his own life last February while awaiting trial. |
| class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7216923.stm">Killed for her life savings class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7265500.stm">A crime that changed a family's life | |
| A post-mortem examination found that Mrs Chung, who lived alone, had died of multiple injuries from stamps and kicks to the face and chest. | A post-mortem examination found that Mrs Chung, who lived alone, had died of multiple injuries from stamps and kicks to the face and chest. |
| Later the same night - 6 November 2006 - the brothers broke into the west London house of construction firm owner Bernard Dwyer. | Later the same night - 6 November 2006 - the brothers broke into the west London house of construction firm owner Bernard Dwyer. |
| Mr Dwyer, 51, was unarmed and naked when the two masked men attacked him in his bedroom in West Drayton. | Mr Dwyer, 51, was unarmed and naked when the two masked men attacked him in his bedroom in West Drayton. |
| He suffered 34 injuries as he was beaten and kicked across the room and stabbed in the head. | He suffered 34 injuries as he was beaten and kicked across the room and stabbed in the head. |
| But Mr Dwyer, seeing a knife held to his teenage daughter Aisling's throat, decided to fight back, chasing the brothers from his home. | But Mr Dwyer, seeing a knife held to his teenage daughter Aisling's throat, decided to fight back, chasing the brothers from his home. |
| Mr Dwyer later told the Old Bailey how he had decided: "If I'm going to die tonight then I'd rather die like a man than a dog." | Mr Dwyer later told the Old Bailey how he had decided: "If I'm going to die tonight then I'd rather die like a man than a dog." |
| It is clear that you have deprived a family of a much-loved mother and grandmother Judge Steven Kramer | It is clear that you have deprived a family of a much-loved mother and grandmother Judge Steven Kramer |
| Judge Kramer told Atkins on Wednesday: "It is clear that you have deprived a family of a much-loved mother and grandmother." | Judge Kramer told Atkins on Wednesday: "It is clear that you have deprived a family of a much-loved mother and grandmother." |
| He commended Mr Dwyer "who managed bravely to drive you off empty handed but not before you left him seriously injured and terrified him, his son and daughter". | He commended Mr Dwyer "who managed bravely to drive you off empty handed but not before you left him seriously injured and terrified him, his son and daughter". |
| The judge said of the brothers' crimes: "I am satisfied this was planned and premeditated. There is only one sentence for murder and that is imprisonment for life." | The judge said of the brothers' crimes: "I am satisfied this was planned and premeditated. There is only one sentence for murder and that is imprisonment for life." |
| 'System failing' | 'System failing' |
| The court heard that Dean Atkins had absconded from Standford Hill open prison in Sheerness, Kent, the day before the burglaries, while his brother was out of prison on licence at the time. | The court heard that Dean Atkins had absconded from Standford Hill open prison in Sheerness, Kent, the day before the burglaries, while his brother was out of prison on licence at the time. |
| Outside court, Mr Dwyer said the men should not have been free to carry out the attacks. | Outside court, Mr Dwyer said the men should not have been free to carry out the attacks. |
| "The person who let them out of prison should have been in the dock alongside them," he said. | "The person who let them out of prison should have been in the dock alongside them," he said. |
| "As a result of the system failing these two young people, two people are dead, two young men's lives are destroyed, and my daughter's life is not a lot better." | "As a result of the system failing these two young people, two people are dead, two young men's lives are destroyed, and my daughter's life is not a lot better." |