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Lee Rigby murder: Adebolajo and Adebowale jailed | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Michael Adebolajo has been given a whole-life term and Michael Adebowale has been jailed for a minimum of 45 years for murdering Fusilier Lee Rigby. | |
Adebolajo, 29, and Adebowale, 22, drove into Fusilier Rigby with a car before hacking him to death in Woolwich, south-east London, in May last year. | |
The judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, said Adebolajo's case was one of those "rare cases" warranting a whole-life term. | |
The pair were absent during sentencing after a scuffle in the dock. | |
As Mr Justice Sweeney began to sentence the men they started shouting and scuffling with court security guards. They had to be forced to the ground and were removed from court. | |
Sentencing the killers in their absence, the judge said they had been convicted on "overwhelming" evidence of the "barbaric" murder of Fusilier Rigby. | |
Adebolajo was the leader of the "joint enterprise", the judge said, but Adebowale played his part "enthusiastically". | |
Mr Justice Sweeney said the pair carried out the murder "in a way that would generate maximum media coverage". | |
"He had done absolutely nothing to deserve what you did to him", the judge said. The pair created "a bloodbath", he went on. | |
"You both gloried in what you had done", said the judge. | |
"Your sickening and pitiful conduct was in stark contrast to the women at the scene who tended to Lee Rigby's body and challenged what you had done." | |
Speaking outside court, DI Pete Sparks, family liaison officer for Fusilier Rigby's family, read out a short statement saying "no other sentence would have been acceptable". | |
Sue Hemming, head of special crime and counter terrorism at the Crown Prosecution Service, said Adebolajo and Adebowale had "revelled in one of the most appalling terrorist murders I have seen". | |
"Not only was the attack brutal and calculated, it was also designed to advance extremist views", she said. | |
Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Cressida Dick said the sentences reflect the "true horror" of Fusilier Rigby's murder. | |
Earlier, 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. | 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." | 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. | 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." | 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 faced 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 would "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". |
'Soldier of Allah' | |
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. |