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Murder - intoxicated 27 year old male victim - died 55 days later - unprovoked and pitiless attack - not a lower starting point case - prisoner's record displayed an aggressive and violent propensity - remorse not evident at trial - progress while in prison - tariff fixed at 15 years.
[2007] NILST 1 Kerr LCJ
Murder - 83 year old widow - burglary - beaten and stabbed - gratuitously violent - house deliberately set on fire - higher starting point - criminal record - progress while in prison - accepts responsibility for stabbing victim - tariff fixed at 15 years.
[2007] NILST 7 Kerr LCJ
Murder of two men - extensive multiple injuries - guilty plea four days into trial - not a lower starting point case - degree of planning - armed with iron bar - pressure on co-defendant - reservations about claimed remorse - unfortunate background - claim of provocation - tariff set at 20 years.
[2007] NILST 6 Kerr LCJ
Murder - female victim - previous relationship - claimed provoked - sustained attack - multiple stab wounds - obsession with victim - vulnerable personality - higher starting point - medical condition - mature age - tariff fixed at 13 years.
[2007] NILST 3
Murder - 48 year old victim - stabbed 26 times - ex-girlfriend's mother - higher starting point case - planned attack - armed with a knife - preceded by a number of attacks on her - subject of an exclusion order - broke into home - handcuffed two sisters - fully mature - claimed remorse viewed with caution - divergence of medical opinion as to the effect of personality disorder - denied guilt - tariff fixed at 17 years.
[2007] NILST 4 Kerr LCJ
Murder - 26 year old male victim - ambushed in alleyway - not a normal starting point case - intended to carry out a violent attack - armed himself - aimed blows at the victim's head - young age - previous convictions - tariff fixed at 15 years.
[2007] NILST 3 Kerr LCJ
Murder - male RUC Reserve victim - terrorist crime - booby trap under car - drove car containing the device - exploited - gave himself up - confessed role to police - pleaded guilty - no clear evidence of remorse - Re Colin King did not mean that Practice Statement of Lord Woolf was not to be followed - tariff fixed at 15 years.
[2007] NILST 1 Kerr LCJ
Murder - victim 83 year old widow - burglary - beaten and stabbed - house deliberately set on fire - higher starting point reduced - prisoner's youth (16) at time of offence - previous convictions for burglary - co-accused admitted stabbing victim - tariff fixed at 14 years.
[2006] NILST 2 Kerr LCJ
Murder - 5 year old girl victim - manual strangulation - concealed body - probable sex assault - joined in search for child - admitted indecent assault at interview - conflicting versions of what happened - two previous convictions for indecent assault - psychiatric history - severe untreatable psychopathic personality - highly dangerous - pleaded guilty - higher starting point - lack of rermorse - tariff fixed at 25 years.
[2006] NILST 1 Kerr LCJ
Reference by AG - whether sentences unduly lenient - drugs offences - Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 - importation of drugs into Northern Ireland - substantial quantity of drugs - intention of Judge to pass non-custodial sentence - failure of the prosecution to inform the judge of relevant authorities - application refused.
[2005] NICA 18 Kerr LCJ
Murder and attempted murder - 18 year old female victim - stabbing - fled scene - previous record for violence - higher starting point - killed to let prisoner escape - failure to respond to previous sentences - youth (20) - personality difficulties - tariff fixed at 17 years.
[2005] NILST 4 Kerr LCJ
Murder - 76 year old female victim - burglary at night - armed with a knife - sustained, vicious attack - sexual assault - socially withdrawn psychopath - higher starting point - age (18) - guilty plea - tariff fixed at 22 years.
[2005] NILST 3 Kerr LCJ
Rape and murder - 22 year old female victim - broke into home - multiple blows to head by blunt metal instrument - initially denied offence - confessed when confronted by evidence - claimed the attack was the result of a psychotic episode - no supporting evidence - higher starting point - age - belated plea of guilty - tariff fixed at 21 years.
[2005] NILST 2 Kerr LCJ
One of several men who attacked male victim after night out at nightclub - higher starting point - concerted, savage, merciless attack - substantial sentence for the retribution and deterrence aspects - no tangible evidence of genuine remorse - conceivable did not intend to kill - tariff fixed at 15 years.
[2005] NILST 1 Kerr LCJ
Murder - 24 year old male victim - attacked in toilets of a bar - denied any involvement - blamed co-defendant - previous convictions - expressed intention to attack deceased - no trace of regret - intimidated co-accused - provocation not accepted - tariff fixed at 14 years.
[2004] NILST 22 Kerr LCJ
Murder - strangled female acquaintance - dumped body - normal starting point - likely murder due to sudden loss of control - destruction of murder scene - contested charge - no evidence of remorse - clear record not a mitigating factor - tariff fixed at 14 years.
[2004] NICC 30 Kerr LCJ
Murder - female victim - manual strangulation - prolonged, gratuitous attack in her home - set fire to house with the deceased's son (who managed to escape) in it - higher starting point category - tariff fixed at 17 years.
[2004] NICC 24 Kerr LCJ
Murder - elderly female victim (aunt) - sexually assaulted - stole money - death caused by mechanical asphyxiation - higher starting point case - terrible injuries prior to death - prisoner's youth - guilty plea - tariff fixed at 20 years.
[2004] NILST 21 Kerr LCJ
Murder - 20 year old female victim - girlfriend - shot in face - sawn off shotgun - handed himself in to police - maintains accidential discharge - jury rejected this - no assigned starting point - possession indicates pre-planning - record of crimes of violence - admission and remorse - tariff fixed at 14 years.
[2004] NILST 23 Kerr LCJ
Murder - girlfriend's young son who was ill - higher starting point - kicked child twice - evidence of at least intention to inflict GBH - broke down under interview and made admissions - no responsibility for his actions - considered and deliberate attack - not momentary loss of control - tariff fixed at 16 years.
[2004] NILST 19 Kerr LCJ