Life imprisonment for Goth park murderers
Monday, 28 Apr 2008 20:35
Two jailed for life for park Goth murder
Two youths convicted of the murder of Sophie Lancaster in Stubbylee Park in Bacup, Lancashire, have been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Brendan Harris, aged 15, will serve 18 years in prison before he is eligible for parole judge Anthony Russell QC saying the sentence he was handing down was "for punishment" rather than rehabilitation.
Meanwhile Ryan Herbert, 16, will have to serve 16 years before he can be considered for parole.
The judge is believed to have told the pair they were lucky not to be facing double life sentences for the attack in which Ms Lancaster's boyfriend Robert Maltby also suffered severe injuries.
The pair were attacked on August 11th 2007 because of the way they were dressed with Mr Maltby coming under attack first. Ms Lancaster became involved in the fight as she begged the gang to stop beating up her boyfriend.
When paramedics arrived on the scene both victims' injuries were so severe they were unable to identify the gender of either. During the trial the court heard how Harris delivered a flying kick to Ms Lancaster's head before Herbert kicked her in the face.
Three teenagers, two aged 17 and a 16-year-old were also jailed for the attack on Mr Maltby.
Mr Russell lifted an order banning the press from identifying them.
Brothers Joseph, 17, and Danny Hulme, 16, both of Landgate, Whitworth, near Bacup, and Daniel Mallett, 17, of Rockcliffe Drive, Bacup, all pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent on Mr Maltby.
Mallett was sentenced to four years and four months and the Hulme brothers for five years and tem months each.
Chief Inspector Neil Smith of Lancashire police said in sentencing the youths the judge had sent out a message to people who are involved in violent crime and to the parents of the victims as well.
He added: "Most people that have been close to this crime and this incident have been shocked by it. The judges' comments today will send some keen messages out to people that get involved in violent crime."