Buzzin Disgrace

The thugs who kicked Sophie Lancaster, 20, to death because she was a goth, were today sentenced to life in prison.

Ryan Herbert, 16, admitted murder and received a 16 year minimum term and his pal Brendan Harris, 15, received a minimum of 18 years.

The yobs had drunk at least four pints of strong cider plus shots of schnapps, before they attacked Sophie and her boyfriend Robert Maltby, 21 on August 10th 2007.

There were three other thugs who took part in the initial attack on Mr Maltby, although the court heard that they did not take part in the attack of Sophie, they were Joseph Hulme, 17, his brother, Danny, 16, and Daniel Mallett,17.

Mallett was jailed for four years and four months and the two brothers for five years and ten months.

The gang started on Mr Maltby by what was described as a flying kick to the head and then battered him until he was unconscious. While Miss Lancaster was cradling her boyfriends head in her lap the gang turned the attack on her.

The judge passing sentence today, Anthony Russell QC said “This was feral thuggery. It raises serious questions about the sort of society which exists in this country at the start of a new millennium which was heralded with such optimism. This was a terrible case which has shocked and outraged all who have heard about it. At least wild animals, when they hunt in packs, have a legitimate reason for so doing, to obtain food. You have none and your behaviour on that night degrades humanity itself.”

The judge said that both victims were totally innocent and had been subjected to cruel and sadistic behaviour, and added “The intolerance you displayed in this case is shocking evidence of the attitudes of some of our people. I am satisfied having heard all the evidence that there was intention by each of you to inflict severe pain and suffering. This was a hate crime against these completely harmless people targeted because their appearance was different to yours.”

The judge described Sophie as a caring young woman who read books, wrote poetry and charmed many people and said that “Her tragic fate has touched many hearts”.

Mr Maltby who was not in court today is said to find the world a “terrifying place” now, and is still suffering from long term physical and emotional damage.

The prosecutor, Michael Shorrock QC, read out a statement from Mr Maltby, which said “There has been a huge change in my behaviour and outlook. Before all this happened I was settled into a life quite independent. My life was set up and I had control over everything. Now I am regressed to being something similar to a child. I really just like to think I’m now only eight-months-old. I’m finding the whole world a terrifying place. I’m aware this is terribly cowardly but I don’t know how I’m supposed to cope. I still feel guilty about what happened to Sophie and feel responsible for her death. I’m a much more pessimistic person and have become introverted since the assault.”

His mother told the court “He’s gone from someone fiercely independent to someone who barely leaves the house.”

Sophie’s mother and Mr Maltby’s parents and brother along with other friends and relatives sat in and around the jury box and the defendants families sat opposite surrounded by police and security guards.

After the first trial it emerged that Herbert and Harris had four months earlier attacked a 16-year-old boy close to the same park and had been freed on a six-month community service order.

Officers also criticised the lack of control by the parents of the thugs after the trial who had allowed their sons to drink into the early hours and for showing contempt for the police and the judicial system.

Herbert and Harris are both from broken homes and both are well known to police and Herbert was described by locals as a “vicious, violent yob”. He supposedly started drinking and smoking drugs at 13 and belonged to a gang. He is also described as autistic and semi-literate and admitted to starting the chain of events after drinking heavily. He said he punched Mr Maltby because he was “drunk and showing off”.

These evil thugs should never be allowed to walk the streets again for what they did, they deserve the death penalty, all of them. The three other thugs might not have actually touched Sophie but they didn’t do anything to stop it either. It was sheer luck that Mr Maltby got away with his injuries and wasn’t killed, although, in a wasy, he has been given a life sentence, his life had been virtually destroyed, how do you get over something like that!

As for the family members that have shown contempt to the police and the justice system, they should be publicly named and shamed, what can you expect from their kids when they have that sort of mental attitude. They might only serve a few years in prison but people will be waiting for them to get out, I hope they have a very miserable and sad life, each and every one of them.