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| Student murderers get life terms | Student murderers get life terms |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Two men have been jailed for life for murdering two French students in a bedsit in south-east London. | Two men have been jailed for life for murdering two French students in a bedsit in south-east London. |
| Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo, both 23, suffered hundreds of stab wounds after being tied up during the attack in New Cross on 29 June 2008. | Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo, both 23, suffered hundreds of stab wounds after being tied up during the attack in New Cross on 29 June 2008. |
| Dano Sonnex, 23, of Peckham, south London, and Nigel Farmer, 33, of no fixed address, had both denied murder. | Dano Sonnex, 23, of Peckham, south London, and Nigel Farmer, 33, of no fixed address, had both denied murder. |
| Sonnex must serve a minimum of 40 years and Farmer must stay in prison for a minimum of 35 years. | Sonnex must serve a minimum of 40 years and Farmer must stay in prison for a minimum of 35 years. |
| Trial judge Mr Justice Saunders told the Old Bailey the pair had only escaped being jailed for the "truly horrific" murders for the rest of their lives because of their young ages. | Trial judge Mr Justice Saunders told the Old Bailey the pair had only escaped being jailed for the "truly horrific" murders for the rest of their lives because of their young ages. |
| The killers got pleasure from what they were doing Mr Justice Saunders | |
| He added: "I am satisfied that the only possible reason for the number of stab wounds is that the killings were sadistic. | |
| "The killers got pleasure from what they were doing." | |
| After sentencing, Guy Bonomo, Laurent's father said: "We have not seen the trial of two human beings, they are animals. | |
| "We were hoping for a more severe sentence - they should never be let out." | |
| Francoise Villemont, the mother of Gabriel Ferez, said the murder of her son was a "barbaric act" and was "indescribable and inexcusable". | Francoise Villemont, the mother of Gabriel Ferez, said the murder of her son was a "barbaric act" and was "indescribable and inexcusable". |
| "My heart suffers from the deepest wound from which it will never recover," she said. | "My heart suffers from the deepest wound from which it will never recover," she said. |
| It emerged after the trial that a catalogue of failures had led to Sonnex being free to kill. | It emerged after the trial that a catalogue of failures had led to Sonnex being free to kill. |
| 'Sadistic murders' | 'Sadistic murders' |
| Justice Secretary Jack Straw has apologised over the blunders and London's chief probation officer David Scott has resigned. | Justice Secretary Jack Straw has apologised over the blunders and London's chief probation officer David Scott has resigned. |
| Sonnex was jailed at the age of 17 for violent attacks and robberies, and told a prison doctor he feared he "could kill" in the future, but the confession was never disclosed to authorities. | Sonnex was jailed at the age of 17 for violent attacks and robberies, and told a prison doctor he feared he "could kill" in the future, but the confession was never disclosed to authorities. |
| Six weeks before the murders, magistrates had granted Sonnex bail on charges of handling stolen goods. | Six weeks before the murders, magistrates had granted Sonnex bail on charges of handling stolen goods. |
| Jack Straw: 'I've apologised personally' | Jack Straw: 'I've apologised personally' |
| He was expected to be recalled to prison to serve the remainder of an earlier sentence for various assaults and robberies, but the paperwork was not ready and he walked free from court in April 2008. | He was expected to be recalled to prison to serve the remainder of an earlier sentence for various assaults and robberies, but the paperwork was not ready and he walked free from court in April 2008. |
| Lydie Bonomo said her son would still be alive if the mistakes had not been made. | Lydie Bonomo said her son would still be alive if the mistakes had not been made. |
| Mr Straw, who has apologised to the students' families, condemned the killings as the "most appalling, sadistic, and gratuitous murders". | Mr Straw, who has apologised to the students' families, condemned the killings as the "most appalling, sadistic, and gratuitous murders". |
| He said: "The direct responsibility for these killings must lie - as the jury found - with the criminals Sonnex and Farmer. | He said: "The direct responsibility for these killings must lie - as the jury found - with the criminals Sonnex and Farmer. |
| What the firemen found was a scene of almost unimaginable horror Prosecutor Crispin Aylett 'You've taken my heart and soul' In pictures: The murder scene (Contains disturbing images) | What the firemen found was a scene of almost unimaginable horror Prosecutor Crispin Aylett 'You've taken my heart and soul' In pictures: The murder scene (Contains disturbing images) |
| "But it is also the case that Sonnex could and should have been in custody at the time he committed these murders. | "But it is also the case that Sonnex could and should have been in custody at the time he committed these murders. |
| "It was the consequence of very serious failures across the criminal justice system that he had not been arrested and incarcerated some weeks before." | "It was the consequence of very serious failures across the criminal justice system that he had not been arrested and incarcerated some weeks before." |
| Mr Straw added that a number of reviews had since taken place, the result of which was that 100 new probation officers would be recruited in London over the next two years. | |
| Farmer was also found guilty of burglary, a charge Sonnex had already admitted. Both men were also convicted of false imprisonment and arson. | |
| Students Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo were tied up and stabbed | Students Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo were tied up and stabbed |
| During the trial, prosecutor Crispin Aylett QC said Mr Ferez and Mr Bonomo had been tortured then murdered because Sonnex and Farmer were unable to get cash from a machine using one of the students' bank cards. | During the trial, prosecutor Crispin Aylett QC said Mr Ferez and Mr Bonomo had been tortured then murdered because Sonnex and Farmer were unable to get cash from a machine using one of the students' bank cards. |
| Mr Aylett 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. | Mr Aylett 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. |
| "What the firemen found was a scene of almost unimaginable horror." | "What the firemen found was a scene of almost unimaginable horror." |
| Sonnex and Farmer had blamed each other, but Mr Aylett described the crime as a "joint enterprise of unmitigated evil". | Sonnex and Farmer had blamed each other, but Mr Aylett described the crime as a "joint enterprise of unmitigated evil". |
| As he was led away from court, Sonnex looked at the families of the two students and shrugged. | As he was led away from court, Sonnex looked at the families of the two students and shrugged. |
| Mr Bonomo and Mr Ferez were biochemistry students at the Polytech Clermont-Ferrand. | Mr Bonomo and Mr Ferez were biochemistry students at the Polytech Clermont-Ferrand. |
| They were weeks away from finishing a research project at Imperial College when they were killed. | They were weeks away from finishing a research project at Imperial College when they were killed. |
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| Farmer and Sonnex were caught by CCTV several times on the day of the murders | Farmer and Sonnex were caught by CCTV several times on the day of the murders |