Disabled man's killers terms cut

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A man and two youths jailed for life for killing a disabled man have had their minimum sentences cut.

Brent Martin, 23, who had learning difficulties, was kicked to death on Sunderland's Town End Farm estate.

William Hughes, 22, and Marcus Miller, 16, and Stephen Bonallie, 17, were sentenced to minimum terms of between 15 and 22 years.

The Court of Appeal said the "starting point" for Hughes should have been 15 years, not 30, and reduced all tariffs.

Hughes' and Bonallie's terms were cut by three years, and Miller's by two.

The three, all trained boxers from Sunderland, repeatedly punched, kicked, stamped on and head-butted their victim during the attack in August 2007.

He was found lying in a pool of blood and later died in hospital.

At their trail in January, Newcastle Crown Court heard it was over a £5 bet to see who could knock him out first.

Mr Martin was punched, kicked, stamped on and head-butted

Judge John Milford described the attack as "sadistic conduct on an extremely vulnerable victim".

He ruled that Hughes, from Washington Road, serve a minimum of 22 years, Bonallie, from Birtley Avenue, 18 years, and Miller, from Baxter Road, at least 15 before they could apply for parole.

The three took their case to the Appeal Court in London.

Judges then imposed a new minimum term of 19 years for Hughes, 15 for Bonallie and 13 for Miller.

Mr Justice Goldring said: "There is no doubt at all that the behaviour of these appellants was quite appalling.

He described it as a "very bad case of gratuitous gang violence directed at a vulnerable victim", but said that the starting point for the ringleader, Hughes, should have been 15 rather than 30 years.

That decision led to reductions in the tariffs for all three.