From the BBC, Sunderland [UK] Echo:

Britain’s Court of Appeal reduced the sentences yesterday for a man and two youths who were jailed for life this spring for killing a man with learning disabilities.

William Hughes, 22, Marcus Miller, 16, and Stephen Bonallie, 17, had each been jailed for between 15 and 22 years in the death of Brent Martin (left), whom they kicked and stomped to death over a five-pound bet. In setting the original sentences, the judge called the act “sadistic conduct on an extremely vulnerable victim.” The appeals court reduced each of the sentences by up to three years.

Disability advocates renewed calls for a change in the law to address hate crimes against people with disabilities.

The ruling was “an unpleasant reminder of the low value often attached to disabled people’s lives in our society”, said Jon Sparkes of the disability group Scope. Martin’s mother, Brenda, called the decision “heartbreaking.”

Earlier posts:

• UK gang sentenced to life for murder of disabled man
• UK murder spurs calls to protect disabled from hate crime
• ‘We must protect disabled people from this wave of barbaric and hateful crimes’

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 19th, 2008 at 9:13 am and is filed under NOT2BEMISSED, criminal justice, international, learning disabilities. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.  Email This Post