Browse Sections
Interactive
Popular Sections
Cloudy with showersNews
| 
Submit Comments
Ryan Herbert and Brendan Harris
advertisement
Sophie gang in bid for cut in sentences
22/ 8/2008
THE murderers of Sophie Lancaster have been granted leave to appeal their sentences.
In a cruel twist of fate, Sophie’s mum was given the news last Monday – the one-year anniversary of the attack that led to her daughter’s death.
It means Appeal Court judges will decide whether the sentences given to Brendan Harris and Ryan Herbert, both now 16, were appropriate for the murder of student Sophie and grievous bodily harm with intent on the 20-year-old’s boyfriend Robert Maltby.
Three others – Daniel Mallett, aged 18, and brothers Joseph Hulme, aged 17, and Danny Hulme, aged 16 – have also been given the go-ahead to appeal the sentences they received for attacking Robert.
Sophie’s mum, Sylvia Lancaster, said: "The timing is horrendous. It is just one more aspect of our judicial system that favours the perpetrators rather than the victim.
"I think they could have made a better choice of date to tell me; they could have waited until the first week in September.
"It was never going to be palatable, but it would have been better to defer informing us, for me and for Rob."
This Sunday will be the anniversary of the death of Sophie, who never regained consciousness after the attack nearly two weeks earlier. She died in hospital after her family agreed to turn off her life support machine.
Robert was also left in a coma and has still not fully recovered from the attack.
Detective Inspector Dean Holden, who led the inquiry, said: "I will be attending the hearing in London and our family liaison officer will continue to support the family."
A spokeswoman for the Court of Appeal confirmed the five had been given leave to appeal, but said no date had yet been set.
Former Whitworth Community High School pupil Harris, of Spring Terrace, Stacksteads, was found guilty of Sophie’s murder after a trial and was sentenced to serve at least 18 years behind bars; Herbert, of Rosendale Crescent, Bacup, who admitted murder, received a minimum term of 16 years and three months’ detention.
They both admitted the GBH charge relating to Robert, for which they received a concurrent sentence of five years and 10 months.
The Hulme brothers, of Landgate, Shawforth, also each got a minimum of five years and 10 months behind bars for the attack on Robert; Mallett, of Rockcliffe Avenue, Bacup, got a minimum of four years and four months.
Most recent 2 of 8 user comments
These scum of the earth killed someone, how the hell do they get the right to appeal.
MPs, Magistrates, JUgdes you idiots wake up to this sort crime. The police dont make these decsions it is the stupind people who run the system!!!!!
I hope they get what they deserve when they are on leave ............. SCUM, LOW LIFE.
They killed someone innocent. I hope they get what they deserve either on leave on when they go inside.
8/09/2008 at 08:03
Got an opinion you want to share?| Card | BT Fee |
| Virgin Credit Card | 2.98% |
| Capital One Low Rate Balance Transfer | 1.7% |
| Capital One Low Rate Platinum | HASH(0x2abf2132a0b0) |
| Capital One Fixed Rate Card | 0.0% |
| Company | Typical APR |
| Platinum Exclusive Loan | 7.8% |
| Bank of Scotland (Semi-exclusive) | 8.6% |
| Halifax (Semi-exclusive) | 8.6% |
| Alliance & Leicester | 8.7% |
| Sainsbury's Personal Loan | 8.9% |
| Provider | AER* |
|
ICICI BANK HiSAVE Savings Account |
5.50% |
|
SAINSBURYS FINANCE Internet Saver |
4.00% |
|
FIRST DIRECT Everyday e-Saver |
2.75% |
|
ALLIANCE & LEICESTER Online Tracker |
6.00% |
|
ABBEY Instant Access Saver (Special Issue 2) |
6.00% |
|
ING DIRECT Savings Account |
6.00% |
|
ALLIANCE & LEICESTER eSaver - Issue 2 |
6.30% |
|
ABBEY eSaver Direct |
6.00% |
|
POST OFFICE Instant Saver |
3.75% |
11/09/2008 at 14:05