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| Lee Rigby murder: Adebolajo and Adebowale face sentence | Lee Rigby murder: Adebolajo and Adebowale face sentence |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A judge at the Old Bailey is due to sentence the two men who murdered soldier Lee Rigby near Woolwich barracks in south-east London. | A judge at the Old Bailey is due to sentence the two men who murdered soldier Lee Rigby near Woolwich barracks in south-east London. |
| Michael Adebolajo, 29, and Michael Adebowale, 22, ran over Fusilier Rigby with a car before hacking him to death in May last year. | Michael Adebolajo, 29, and Michael Adebowale, 22, ran over Fusilier Rigby with a car before hacking him to death in May last year. |
| Judge Mr Justice Sweeney is hearing five victim impact statements before passing sentence. | Judge Mr Justice Sweeney is hearing five victim impact statements before passing sentence. |
| The pair could face whole-life jail terms after a key ruling last week. | The pair could face whole-life jail terms after a key ruling last week. |
| But counsel for Adebolajo, David Gottlieb, warned an indeterminate sentence "is likely to create a martyr". | But counsel for Adebolajo, David Gottlieb, warned an indeterminate sentence "is likely to create a martyr". |
| Fusilier Rigby, who had a young son. had previously served in Afghanistan. | |
| The court heard a statement from Ian Rigby, Fusilier Rigby's stepfather, who said the family's lives had been " irreparably changed for the worse". | The court heard a statement from Ian Rigby, Fusilier Rigby's stepfather, who said the family's lives had been " irreparably changed for the worse". |
| He said: "After all he'd been through in Afghanistan, all Lee was doing was walking through London. After seeing the television, you just can't comprehend it." | He said: "After all he'd been through in Afghanistan, all Lee was doing was walking through London. After seeing the television, you just can't comprehend it." |
| His wife Rebecca Rigby said: "We live in the Army and have seen death. You do not expect to see this on the streets of the United Kingdom." | His wife Rebecca Rigby said: "We live in the Army and have seen death. You do not expect to see this on the streets of the United Kingdom." |
| She added: "My son will grow up and see images of his dad that no son should have to endure." | She added: "My son will grow up and see images of his dad that no son should have to endure." |
| Fusilier Rigby was murdered as he returned to his barracks in Woolwich, south-east London. | Fusilier Rigby was murdered as he returned to his barracks in Woolwich, south-east London. |
| The soldier, from Middleton, Greater Manchester, died of multiple cut and stab wounds after the attack on 22 May 2013. | |
| Adebolajo and Adebowale drove a car into Fusilier Rigby at 30 to 40mph, before dragging him into the road and attacking him with knives and attempting to decapitate him with a meat cleaver. | Adebolajo and Adebowale drove a car into Fusilier Rigby at 30 to 40mph, before dragging him into the road and attacking him with knives and attempting to decapitate him with a meat cleaver. |
| Adebolajo had claimed he was a "soldier of Allah" and the killing was an act of war. | Adebolajo had claimed he was a "soldier of Allah" and the killing was an act of war. |
| The pair's sentences were delayed until a key Court of Appeal ruling in January upheld judges' right to jail the most serious offenders in England and Wales for the rest of their lives. |