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| Man jailed for life for murdering MP Jo Cox | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Thomas Mair has been jailed for life after he was found guilty of the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox. | |
| The 53-year-old shot and stabbed to death the mother-of-two in Birstall, West Yorkshire, on 16 June, a week before the EU referendum vote. | The 53-year-old shot and stabbed to death the mother-of-two in Birstall, West Yorkshire, on 16 June, a week before the EU referendum vote. |
| Mair did not enter a plea and chose not to give any evidence in his defence. | Mair did not enter a plea and chose not to give any evidence in his defence. |
| Mrs Cox's husband Brendan said he was not there for "retribution" and felt "nothing but pity for" Mair, in a statement read out to the Old Bailey. | |
| In sentencing, Judge Mr Justice Wilkie said Mair had affected to be a patriot, but Mrs Cox was, in the true meaning of the word, a patriot. | In sentencing, Judge Mr Justice Wilkie said Mair had affected to be a patriot, but Mrs Cox was, in the true meaning of the word, a patriot. |
| He described her as a wonderful mother, sister, daughter and companion, with a generosity of spirit that was apparent even when faced by a violent death. | He described her as a wonderful mother, sister, daughter and companion, with a generosity of spirit that was apparent even when faced by a violent death. |
| Before sentencing, Mair asked to speak to the courtroom but the judge said he had already had an opportunity and declined. | |
| Mrs Cox's parents, Jean and Gordon Leadbeater, and her sister, Kim, were also in court for the verdicts. | Mrs Cox's parents, Jean and Gordon Leadbeater, and her sister, Kim, were also in court for the verdicts. |
| Thomas Mair: The man who murdered MP Jo Cox | Thomas Mair: The man who murdered MP Jo Cox |
| Brendan Cox: 'Jo strengthened, not silenced' | Brendan Cox: 'Jo strengthened, not silenced' |
| Mair, dressed in a dark suit and blue tie, remained impassive as the verdicts were read out, after one hour of deliberations. | Mair, dressed in a dark suit and blue tie, remained impassive as the verdicts were read out, after one hour of deliberations. |
| Mair was also found guilty of having a firearm with intent, causing grievous bodily harm with intent to 78-year-old Bernard Kenny, who tried to help the MP, and having an offensive weapon, namely a dagger. | Mair was also found guilty of having a firearm with intent, causing grievous bodily harm with intent to 78-year-old Bernard Kenny, who tried to help the MP, and having an offensive weapon, namely a dagger. |
| Judge Mr Justice Wilkie said the murder was carried out to advance a political cause of violent white supremacism, associated with Nazism. | Judge Mr Justice Wilkie said the murder was carried out to advance a political cause of violent white supremacism, associated with Nazism. |
| He said the aggravating feature was the premeditation and planning over weeks, in which he researched his intended victim, the past assassination of a serving MP and matricide, knowing Mrs Cox was the mother of young children. | He said the aggravating feature was the premeditation and planning over weeks, in which he researched his intended victim, the past assassination of a serving MP and matricide, knowing Mrs Cox was the mother of young children. |
| The judge said he had concluded the offence was so exceptional that it has to be marked with a whole life sentence and Mair could only be released by the home secretary. | |
| The Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement: "Mair has offered no explanation for his actions but the prosecution was able to demonstrate that, motivated by hate, his pre-meditated crimes were nothing less than acts of terrorism designed to advance his twisted ideology. | |
| The CPS said it worked closely with police to build a strong case, and commended a number of "brave" eye witnesses who gave evidence. |