Two teenage boys jailed for life for the murder of a woman who was killed for dressing as a Goth have lodged an appeal against their sentences.
Sophie Lancaster, 20, was kicked and stamped to death by Brendan Harris, 15, and Ryan Herbert, 16, in Stubbylee Park in Bacup, Lancashire, last summer.
The pair turned on her as she tried to get them and three other youths to stop attacking her boyfriend, Robert Maltby.
Harris was sentenced to a minimum of 18 years and Herbert to 16 years.
High Court
Harris had denied murder, but was convicted in March, while Herbert pleaded guilty before the trial started.
The three youths who pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent on Mr Maltby have also appealed against their sentences.
Brothers Joseph, 17, and Danny Hulme, 16, both of Landgate, Whitworth, near Bacup were sentenced to five years and 10 months each, while Daniel Mallett, 17, of Rockcliffe Drive, Bacup, was sentenced to four years and four months.
The cases will now go before a High Court judge to decide if there is a basis for the appeal.
'Feral thuggery'
On passing sentence at Preston Crown Court in April, Judge Anthony Russell QC described the attack last August as "feral thuggery" which raised serious questions about the "sort of society which exists in this country".
He told the youths: "This was a terrible case which has shocked and outraged all who have heard about it.
"At least wild animals, when they hunt in packs, have a legitimate reason for so doing, to obtain food.
"You have none and your behaviour on that night degrades humanity itself."
He described the Goth community as "perfectly peaceful law-abiding people who pose no threat to anybody" and added: "This was a hate crime against these completely harmless people targeted because their appearance was different to yours."
Goths emerged as a youth subculture in the early 1980s - although initially used to describe a form of music, it has evolved to encompass literature, art and fashion, with its exponents typically dressing in dark clothing.
I don't think I need to comment, it's kind of obvious. Also, just look at the photos from the article:
EBC|Fucking Metal|Artist|Androgynous Sexfiend|Gozer Kvltist|
Listen to my music! http://www.soundclick.com/nihilanth "America is, now, the most powerful and economically prosperous nation in the country." - Master of Ossus
For what fucking reason do these thugs have to get their sentences reduced? For being fucking teenagers? The US has sentenced minors to death for murder (see here), so these thugs should consider themselves lucky they won't be hauled in front of a firing squad, thrown into a gas chamber, put to (eternal) sleep, or hung until they're dead, dead, dead.
Those gun nuts do not understand the meaning of "overkill," and will simply use weapon after weapon of mass destruction (WMD) until the monster is dead, or until they run out of weapons.
They have more WMD than there are monsters for us to fight. (More insanity here.)
Fragment of the Lord of Nightmares, release thy heavenly retribution. Blade of cold, black nothingness: become my power, become my body. Together, let us walk the path of destruction and smash even the souls of the Gods! RAGNA BLADE!
Lore Monkey | the Pichu-master™
Secularism—since AD 80
Av: Elika; Prince of Persia
Kanastrous wrote:The original sentences seem excessively lenient, to begin with.
The appeals court should say that.
Mayabird is my girlfriend
Justice League:BotM:MM:SDnet City Watch:Cybertron's Finest "Well then, science is bullshit. "
-revprez, with yet another brilliant rebuttal.
