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| Students faced 'inhuman' torture | Students faced 'inhuman' torture |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The flat where two French students were murdered after a burglary went wrong was a scene of "almost unimaginable horror", the Old Bailey has heard. | The flat where two French students were murdered after a burglary went wrong was a scene of "almost unimaginable horror", the Old Bailey has heard. |
| Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo, both 23, suffered hundreds of stab wounds in the attack in New Cross, south-east London, last June. | Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo, both 23, suffered hundreds of stab wounds in the attack in New Cross, south-east London, last June. |
| Danno Sonnex, 23, of Peckham, south London, and Nigel Farmer, 33, of no fixed address, deny the murders. | Danno Sonnex, 23, of Peckham, south London, and Nigel Farmer, 33, of no fixed address, deny the murders. |
| The killings were revenge after thieves failed to steal money, the court heard. | The killings were revenge after thieves failed to steal money, the court heard. |
| Crispin Aylett QC, prosecuting, said: "To take revenge for the fact that they had been unable to steal money from Mr Ferez, both men were murdered in a way that can only be described as inhuman. | Crispin Aylett QC, prosecuting, said: "To take revenge for the fact that they had been unable to steal money from Mr Ferez, both men were murdered in a way that can only be described as inhuman. |
| They had been subjected to an attack of brutal and sustained ferocity - one of them had been stabbed 194 times, the other 50 times Crispin Aylett QC | They had been subjected to an attack of brutal and sustained ferocity - one of them had been stabbed 194 times, the other 50 times Crispin Aylett QC |
| "What the firemen found was a scene of almost unimaginable horror," he said. | "What the firemen found was a scene of almost unimaginable horror," he said. |
| Mr Aylett said Mr Sonnex and Mr Farmer burst into the student's bedsit in Sterling Gardens, overpowered and bound them and demanded their bank card Pin numbers. | Mr Aylett said Mr Sonnex and Mr Farmer burst into the student's bedsit in Sterling Gardens, overpowered and bound them and demanded their bank card Pin numbers. |
| The students thought it best to co-operate and that "it would all soon be over", he said. | The students thought it best to co-operate and that "it would all soon be over", he said. |
| But when the card was retained by a cash machine they returned to "take revenge". | But when the card was retained by a cash machine they returned to "take revenge". |
| 'Merciless onslaught' | 'Merciless onslaught' |
| "The two men, dressed only in their underpants, had been tied up. | "The two men, dressed only in their underpants, had been tied up. |
| "They had been bound at the ankles and the wrists. Their heads had been wrapped with towels. | "They had been bound at the ankles and the wrists. Their heads had been wrapped with towels. |
| "They had been subjected to an attack of brutal and sustained ferocity - one of them had been stabbed 194 times, the other 50 times. | "They had been subjected to an attack of brutal and sustained ferocity - one of them had been stabbed 194 times, the other 50 times. |
| "Both of them had been repeatedly stabbed in the head. In some instances, a knife had been used with such force that the skull had been penetrated and damage caused to the brain." | "Both of them had been repeatedly stabbed in the head. In some instances, a knife had been used with such force that the skull had been penetrated and damage caused to the brain." |
| Family members of the students were present in court | |
| The badly-burnt bodies of the two "brilliant" students were found after an explosion at the property. The jury heard the students faced a "relentless and merciless onslaught". | The badly-burnt bodies of the two "brilliant" students were found after an explosion at the property. The jury heard the students faced a "relentless and merciless onslaught". |
| The biochemistry masters students from Polytech Clermont-Ferrand, in central France, were weeks away from finishing their reserch project at Imperial College in London when they were killed. | |
| The families of the students were present in court as the trial got under way. | The families of the students were present in court as the trial got under way. |
| Mr Aylett said: "These two bright, talented and engaging young men had brilliant futures ahead of them. Neither of them had an enemy in the world." | Mr Aylett said: "These two bright, talented and engaging young men had brilliant futures ahead of them. Neither of them had an enemy in the world." |
| Mr Farmer and Mr Sonnex deny murder, arson, false imprisonment and trying to pervert the course of justice. | Mr Farmer and Mr Sonnex deny murder, arson, false imprisonment and trying to pervert the course of justice. |
| Mr Sonnex has admitted one count of burglary at the property on the same date as the murders but Mr Farmer denies a charge of burglary. | Mr Sonnex has admitted one count of burglary at the property on the same date as the murders but Mr Farmer denies a charge of burglary. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |