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Student murderers get life terms Errors left 'sadist' free to kill
(about 2 hours later)
Two men have been jailed for life for murdering two French students in a bedsit in south-east London. A series of blunders left a violent criminal free to torture and murder two French research students at a flat 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. Dano Sonnex and accomplice Nigel Farmer have been jailed for life for murdering Gabriel Ferez, 23, and Laurent Bonomo, 23, in New Cross in June 2008.
Dano Sonnex, 23, of Peckham, south London, and Nigel Farmer, 33, of no fixed address, had both denied murder. The students suffered hundreds of stab wounds and their flat was set on fire.
Sonnex must serve a minimum of 40 years and Farmer must stay in prison for a minimum of 35 years. Justice Secretary Jack Straw apologised over probation service errors which left Sonnex free to kill.
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. Sonnex, 23, must serve a minimum of 40 years. Farmer, 34, was told he must stay in prison for a minimum of 35 years.
We have not seen the trial of two human beings, they are animals Guy Bonomo It emerged after the trial that a catalogue of failures had led to Sonnex being on the loose.
He added: "I am satisfied that the only possible reason for the number of stab wounds is that the killings were sadistic. Father: Killers 'were animals'
"The killers got pleasure from what they were doing." Sonnex was bailed for handling stolen goods when he should have been remanded in custody by magistrates.
After sentencing, Guy Bonomo, Laurent's father said: "We have not seen the trial of two human beings, they are animals. Further blunders delayed his recall to prison, and it took 33 days for the administrative process to be completed. It was a further 16 days before Metropolitan Police officers went to Sonnex's house to arrest him which time the two young French students were already dead.
"We were hoping for a more severe sentence - they should never be let out." Earlier, Sonnex had tied up and threatened a couple, and could have been returned to jail, but he was given a verbal warning by his probation officer rather than being the subject of a review.
Francoise Villemont, the mother of Gabriel Ferez, said the murder of her son was a "barbaric act" and was "indescribable and inexcusable". Justice Secretary Jack Straw has apologised to the victims' families, and London's chief probation officer David Scott has resigned.
"My heart suffers from the deepest wound from which it will never recover," she said. 'Serious failures'
It emerged after the trial that a catalogue of failures had led to Sonnex being free to kill. Mr Straw said: "The direct responsibility for these killings must lie - as the jury found - with the criminals Sonnex and Farmer.
'Sadistic murders'
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.
Six weeks before the murders, magistrates had granted Sonnex bail on charges of handling stolen goods.
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.
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".
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)
"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."
What the firemen found was a scene of almost unimaginable horror Prosecutor Crispin Aylett Men behind 'orgy of bloodletting' 'You've taken my heart and soul' In pictures: The murder scene (Contains disturbing images)
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.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.
In sentencing, trial judge Mr Justice Saunders said: "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: "Nothing will remove the suffering and I can never accept the torture that was inflicted on Gabriel gratuitously."
Farmer was also found guilty of burglary, a charge Sonnex had already admitted. Both men were also convicted of false imprisonment and arson.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 'Unmitigated evil'
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. He said the students had been stabbed 244 times by Sonnex and drug addict Nigel Farmer, 34, during a three-hour torture ordeal.
"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.
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 murdersFarmer and Sonnex were caught by CCTV several times on the day of the murders