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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Student killers' sentences stand | Student killers' sentences stand |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Jail terms given to the killers of two 23-year-old French students will not be referred to the Court of Appeal, the Attorney General has said. | |
| Baroness Scotland appeared to rule out longer sentences for Dano Sonnex and Nigel Farmer, who tortured and murdered Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo. | Baroness Scotland appeared to rule out longer sentences 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. |
| I believe the sentences could not be said to fall outside the proper range... Baroness Scotland | |
| The families of the students criticised the decision not to refer their sons' killers sentences to the Court of Appeal. | |
| Mr Ferez's mother Francoise Villement, 46, said: "We hoped that the sentence would be longer. It's not right. | |
| "This won't change anything for me because nothing can bring back my son but it was important that the sentence be longer in order to send a message to society." | |
| Mr Bonomo's mother Lydie Bonomo, 53, said: "I'd have preferred them to have received a more final sentence but I'm not surprised by this. I thought it would be the case." | |
| 'Inhuman torture' | 'Inhuman torture' |
| But Lady Scotland said there was "no prospect" the Court of Appeal would hand out longer 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. | "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. |
| The two promising students were subjected to "inhuman torture", the Old Bailey heard last month. | The two promising students were subjected to "inhuman torture", the Old Bailey heard last month. |
| Students Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo were tied up and stabbed | |
| Sonnex and Farmer broke in to their flat to rob the pair, but later returned to the scene set on revenge after a stolen cash card was rejected at an ATM. | Sonnex and Farmer broke in to their flat to rob the pair, but later returned to the scene set on revenge after a stolen cash card was rejected at an ATM. |
| It was then they killed the students - stabbing them almost 250 times - before attempting to burn their bodies. | It was then they killed the students - stabbing them almost 250 times - before attempting to burn their bodies. |
| 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. | 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. | "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. | "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. | "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." | "Even after the minimum terms are served, the offenders will remain in prison until the parole board judges them safe to be released." |