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| Errors left 'sadist' free to kill | Errors left 'sadist' free to kill |
| (41 minutes later) | |
| A series of blunders left a violent criminal free to torture and murder two French research students at a flat 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. |
| Dano Sonnex and accomplice Nigel Farmer were jailed for life for murdering Gabriel Ferez, 23, and Laurent Bonomo, 23, in New Cross in June 2008. | |
| The students suffered hundreds of stab wounds and their flat was set on fire. | The students suffered hundreds of stab wounds and their flat was set on fire. |
| Justice Secretary Jack Straw apologised for errors, but the victims' families said they would sue UK authorities. | |
| Legal action | Legal action |
| Sonnex, 23, must serve a minimum of 40 years. Farmer, 34, was told he must stay in prison for a minimum of 35 years. | Sonnex, 23, must serve a minimum of 40 years. Farmer, 34, was told he must stay in prison for a minimum of 35 years. |
| The students' parents said they were going to sue British authorities for a "failure" to prevent Sonnex carrying out his brutal attacks. | |
| Olivier Ferez, Gabriel's father, said an apology from Mr Straw "will not suffice" and his lawyers were now involved. | Olivier Ferez, Gabriel's father, said an apology from Mr Straw "will not suffice" and his lawyers were now involved. |
| Guy Bonomo, Laurent's father, said the two students "would be alive today if the British justice system had not failed us". | Guy Bonomo, Laurent's father, said the two students "would be alive today if the British justice system had not failed us". |
| It emerged after the trial that a catalogue of failures had led to Sonnex being on the loose. | It emerged after the trial that a catalogue of failures had led to Sonnex being on the loose. |
| Father: Killers 'were animals' | Father: Killers 'were animals' |
| Sonnex was bailed for handling stolen goods when he should have been remanded in custody by magistrates. | Sonnex was bailed for handling stolen goods when he should have been remanded in custody by magistrates. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Mr Straw apologised for probation service errors which allowed Sonnex to kill, and London's chief probation officer David Scott has resigned. | |
| 'Serious failures' | 'Serious failures' |
| Mr Straw said: "The direct responsibility for these killings must lie - as the jury found - with the criminals Sonnex and Farmer. | Mr Straw said: "The direct responsibility for these killings must lie - as the jury found - with the criminals Sonnex and Farmer. |
| "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) | 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. | 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." | "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. | 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." | "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." | 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. |
| 'Unmitigated evil' | '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. |
| He said the students had been stabbed 244 times by Sonnex and drug addict Nigel Farmer, 34, during a three-hour torture ordeal. | He said the students had been stabbed 244 times by Sonnex and drug addict Nigel Farmer, 34, during a three-hour torture ordeal. |
| 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". |
| 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 |