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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Student killers' sentences stand | Student killers' sentences stand |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Jail terms given to the killers of two French students will not be referred to the Court of Appeal, the Attorney General has said. | |
| Baroness Scotland appeared to rule out longer jail terms for Dano Sonnex and Nigel Farmer, who tortured and murdered Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo. | Baroness Scotland appeared to rule out longer jail terms for Dano Sonnex and Nigel Farmer, who tortured and murdered Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo. |
| She was considering whether the minimum term of 40 and 35 years for Sonnex and Farmer respectively was unduly lenient. | She was considering whether the minimum term of 40 and 35 years for Sonnex and Farmer respectively was unduly lenient. |
| The students were bound and tortured to death in their New Cross flat in 2008. | The students were bound and tortured to death in their New Cross flat in 2008. |
| But Lady Scotland said there was "no prospect" the Court of Appeal would hand out longer jail sentences. | |
| "I believe the sentences could not be said to fall outside the proper range and that there is no prospect that the Court of Appeal would increase them," she said. | |
| 'Rarely used' | |
| Explaining her decision, Lady Scotland said that at the trial of Sonnex and Farmer, the judge had the option of imposing a "whole life" tariff on the defendants. | |
| "But these sentences are rarely used," she continued. | |
| "My remit was to look at whether the minimum periods of imprisonment could instead be described as unduly lenient. | |
| "Having taken account of all relevant papers - including the statements of both families and the impact the murders had - I believe the sentences could not be said to fall outside the proper range. | |
| "Even after the minimum terms are served, the offenders will remain in prison until the parole board judges them safe to be released." |