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| Rapist murdered mother and girl | Rapist murdered mother and girl |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A convicted sex offender has been jailed for a minimum of 32 years for raping and murdering a 10-year-old girl and murdering her mother. | A convicted sex offender has been jailed for a minimum of 32 years for raping and murdering a 10-year-old girl and murdering her mother. |
| Thomas Smith, 26, lived next door to Diane Fallon, 43, and her daughter Holly in Cronberry in Ayrshire. | Thomas Smith, 26, lived next door to Diane Fallon, 43, and her daughter Holly in Cronberry in Ayrshire. |
| Smith killed the pair in March last year then hid their bodies. | Smith killed the pair in March last year then hid their bodies. |
| Judge Lord Turnbull told him: "You have set a benchmark of depravity below which it is difficult to imagine any other human being sinking." | Judge Lord Turnbull told him: "You have set a benchmark of depravity below which it is difficult to imagine any other human being sinking." |
| The High Court in Glasgow heard that the 26-year-old former soldier was on the sex offenders register after a sexual offence against another 10-year-old girl in Teesside in northern England in 2006. | The High Court in Glasgow heard that the 26-year-old former soldier was on the sex offenders register after a sexual offence against another 10-year-old girl in Teesside in northern England in 2006. |
| Strathclyde Police said it was carrying out a full review of how Smith was managed. | Strathclyde Police said it was carrying out a full review of how Smith was managed. |
| Diane and Holly Fallon were missing for 11 days before police discovered their bodies after a massive search operation. | Diane and Holly Fallon were missing for 11 days before police discovered their bodies after a massive search operation. |
| Diane Fallon's sister Deborah Weir made a statement outside court | Diane Fallon's sister Deborah Weir made a statement outside court |
| The court was told that Smith strangled them with a cable from a games console, using a technique he perfected while in the army. | The court was told that Smith strangled them with a cable from a games console, using a technique he perfected while in the army. |
| Speaking after the sentencing, relatives of Diane and Holly Fallon described Smith as "evil personified". | Speaking after the sentencing, relatives of Diane and Holly Fallon described Smith as "evil personified". |
| Mrs Fallon's sister, Deborah Weir, said: "There are no words in the human vocabulary which can describe the evil that stood in the dock today. | Mrs Fallon's sister, Deborah Weir, said: "There are no words in the human vocabulary which can describe the evil that stood in the dock today. |
| "He has taken the lives of two innocent people, in a most brutal and horrific manner. | "He has taken the lives of two innocent people, in a most brutal and horrific manner. |
| "Diane, a loving mother, daughter, sister and aunt and Holly, a beautiful sister, granddaughter, niece and cousin. | "Diane, a loving mother, daughter, sister and aunt and Holly, a beautiful sister, granddaughter, niece and cousin. |
| READ IN FULL class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/05_02_10_smithstatement.pdf">HMA verses Thomas Bennie Smith - Sentencing statement from Lord Turnbull [55.5KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader href="http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html">Download the reader here | |
| It went on: "Their loss has had a huge impact on us as a family. Our lives will never be the same again, there will always be something missing. | It went on: "Their loss has had a huge impact on us as a family. Our lives will never be the same again, there will always be something missing. |
| "We believe that justice has been done for Diane and Holly, and we can take some comfort in the knowledge that he's going away for a very long time." | "We believe that justice has been done for Diane and Holly, and we can take some comfort in the knowledge that he's going away for a very long time." |
| Derek Ogg QC, prosecuting, said Mrs Fallon and Smith had a "platonic friendship" although she was unaware he was a registered sex offender. | Derek Ogg QC, prosecuting, said Mrs Fallon and Smith had a "platonic friendship" although she was unaware he was a registered sex offender. |
| On the day of the killings Smith was celebrating his birthday and exchanged texts with Diane Fallon arranging to play on his new pool table at his flat. | On the day of the killings Smith was celebrating his birthday and exchanged texts with Diane Fallon arranging to play on his new pool table at his flat. |
| Mr Ogg said the last entry in Holly Fallon's diary was about the visit. | Mr Ogg said the last entry in Holly Fallon's diary was about the visit. |
| It read: "Dear diary, I am in Tom's house. My mum and he are playing snooker. I want to play and I hope I can. Love you, bye." | It read: "Dear diary, I am in Tom's house. My mum and he are playing snooker. I want to play and I hope I can. Love you, bye." |
| The bodies of Holly Fallon and her mother Diane were found in Ayrshire | |
| Just hours later Smith, a former private in the Royal Logistics Corps, murdered the pair. | Just hours later Smith, a former private in the Royal Logistics Corps, murdered the pair. |
| The court heard that the head teacher at St John's Primary in Cumnock became concerned when Holly failed turn up for classes. | The court heard that the head teacher at St John's Primary in Cumnock became concerned when Holly failed turn up for classes. |
| A friend of Diane Fallon reported to police that the pair were missing. | A friend of Diane Fallon reported to police that the pair were missing. |
| It soon became evident that unemployed Smith was the last person to see them alive. | It soon became evident that unemployed Smith was the last person to see them alive. |
| The former soldier later confessed to his father that he had "accidentally" murdered the pair, claiming that Diane had come at him with a knife. | The former soldier later confessed to his father that he had "accidentally" murdered the pair, claiming that Diane had come at him with a knife. |
| What you did to each of your victims is to my mind more properly described as sadistic torture. Judge Lord Turnbull | |
| Holly Fallon's body was found hidden under stones in a river. The body of her mother was discovered in undergrowth outside the village of Craigens. | Holly Fallon's body was found hidden under stones in a river. The body of her mother was discovered in undergrowth outside the village of Craigens. |
| Speaking after the conviction, Geri Watt, area procurator fiscal for Ayrshire, said: "Exactly what happened to Holly and Diane in their final few hours is still unclear, but the evidence shows that Smith subjected each of them to a prolonged and terrifying attack and committed serious sexual assaults against them. | Speaking after the conviction, Geri Watt, area procurator fiscal for Ayrshire, said: "Exactly what happened to Holly and Diane in their final few hours is still unclear, but the evidence shows that Smith subjected each of them to a prolonged and terrifying attack and committed serious sexual assaults against them. |
| "It has been very important to all of us in the prosecution service to ensure that he was brought to justice for these truly horrific crimes." | "It has been very important to all of us in the prosecution service to ensure that he was brought to justice for these truly horrific crimes." |
| Det Chf Supt John Mitchell of Strathclyde Police said it was "only right" that the force conducted a review into the management of Thomas Smith. | Det Chf Supt John Mitchell of Strathclyde Police said it was "only right" that the force conducted a review into the management of Thomas Smith. |
| Smith lived next door to the Fallons in Cronberry | Smith lived next door to the Fallons in Cronberry |
| He added: "We shall be sharing the content of this review with the family and then submitting it to an independent, multi-agency process. | He added: "We shall be sharing the content of this review with the family and then submitting it to an independent, multi-agency process. |
| "If lessons can be learned from this case, rest assured they will be." | "If lessons can be learned from this case, rest assured they will be." |
| "This was a despicable crime that has devastated a family and shocked the community of Cronberry as well as the rest of the country. | "This was a despicable crime that has devastated a family and shocked the community of Cronberry as well as the rest of the country. |
| Passing a life sentence, Lord Turnbull said Smith would have to serve at least 32 years in prison before he could apply for parole. | Passing a life sentence, Lord Turnbull said Smith would have to serve at least 32 years in prison before he could apply for parole. |
| He added: "What you did to each of your victims is to my mind more properly described as sadistic torture. | He added: "What you did to each of your victims is to my mind more properly described as sadistic torture. |
| "You told nothing like the truth about how each had been murdered. | "You told nothing like the truth about how each had been murdered. |
| "Even in these courts, where we here see the worst of humanity, your conduct stands out as exceptional." | "Even in these courts, where we here see the worst of humanity, your conduct stands out as exceptional." |
| As Smith was led away, there were shouts of "rot in hell" and "hope you are tortured in prison as you tortured them" from the public gallery. | As Smith was led away, there were shouts of "rot in hell" and "hope you are tortured in prison as you tortured them" from the public gallery. |