This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26357007
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 2 | Version 3 |
---|---|
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, drove into Fusilier Rigby with a car before hacking him to death in May last year. | Michael Adebolajo, 29, and Michael Adebowale, 22, drove into Fusilier Rigby with a car before hacking him to death in May last year. |
Judge Mr Justice Sweeney has heard victim impact statements. | Judge Mr Justice Sweeney has heard victim impact statements. |
Fusilier Rigby's wife Rebecca said her young child would grow up and see images "no son should have to endure". | Fusilier Rigby's wife Rebecca said her young child would grow up and see images "no son should have to endure". |
Her statement was one of those from Fusilier Rigby's family, extracts of which were read out by prosecutor Richard Whittam QC. | Her statement was one of those from Fusilier Rigby's family, extracts of which were read out by prosecutor Richard Whittam QC. |
Mrs Rigby said she had accepted her husband's life would be at risk when he was deployed to Afghanistan, but not when he was in the UK. | |
She said: "When you wave someone off you accept that there is a chance you will never see them again. You do not expect to see this on the streets of the UK." | |
The court also heard part of a statement from the soldier's stepfather, Ian Rigby. | |
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." | |
Adebolajo and Adebowale could face whole-life jail terms after a Court of Appeal ruling last week upheld judges' right to jail the most serious offenders in England and Wales for the rest of their lives. | Adebolajo and Adebowale could face whole-life jail terms after a Court of Appeal ruling last week upheld judges' right to jail the most serious offenders in England and Wales for the rest of their lives. |
However, counsel for Adebolajo, David Gottlieb, warned an indeterminate sentence "is likely to create a martyr". | However, counsel for Adebolajo, David Gottlieb, warned an indeterminate sentence "is likely to create a martyr". |
Mr Gottlieb said Adebolajo is "not so depraved or wicked that he is incapable of redemption", saying the murder "shares the characteristics of a religiously aggravated crime". | Mr Gottlieb said Adebolajo is "not so depraved or wicked that he is incapable of redemption", saying the murder "shares the characteristics of a religiously aggravated crime". |
He said that Adebolajo intended to die and still believed he should be put to death. | He said that Adebolajo intended to die and still believed he should be put to death. |
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. |
Counsel for Michael Adebowale, Abbas Lakha QC, told the court the case was "horrific" but was not a case "where the offending is so exceptionally high that Mr Adebowale must be kept in prison for his life". | Counsel for Michael Adebowale, Abbas Lakha QC, told the court the case was "horrific" but was not a case "where the offending is so exceptionally high that Mr Adebowale must be kept in prison for his life". |
He said: "The right and proper sentence is one which does leave open the possibility of release in the future. Any other sentence would be inhuman." | He said: "The right and proper sentence is one which does leave open the possibility of release in the future. Any other sentence would be inhuman." |
At the beginning of the hearing the defendants, both dressed in black, were asked to stand, although Adebolajo did not. | At the beginning of the hearing the defendants, both dressed in black, were asked to stand, although Adebolajo did not. |
Fusilier Rigby, from Middleton, Greater Manchester, was murdered as he returned to his barracks in Woolwich, south-east London on 22 May 2013. He died of multiple cut and stab wounds. | Fusilier Rigby, from Middleton, Greater Manchester, was murdered as he returned to his barracks in Woolwich, south-east London on 22 May 2013. He died of multiple cut and stab wounds. |
Adebolajo and Adebowale drove 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 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. |