Brent judge praised for wanting to be extra tough

Mar 1 2008 by Sam Wonfor, The Journal

VICTIM support groups and MPs last night praised a North judge who considered handing out sentences over and above Home Office guidelines to act as a real deterrent to violent crime.

Judge John Milford took the highly unusual step of requesting murder statistics for the Northumbria Police area before sentencing the killers of Brent Martin.

However, after considering the statistics, he decided to stick to the limits of the law – but suggested that the Government look again at the sentencing guidelines.

North East Minister Nick Brown said: "This was a vulnerable young man who ought to have been able to count on the support of local people but instead he was victimised and bullied in the most disgusting way.

"I favour exemplary sentences, and I strongly back the judge in this. This was a disgusting crime and I feel so sorry for the victim and his family."

David Hines, of the North of England Victims Association, last night praised the judge, saying life should mean life.

He said: "The judge is talking sense. He is limited by the regulations that are in place.

"Life should mean life. There’s the argument that there will not be enough space in prisons if there are longer sentences handed out, but that’s not the case because these will act as a real deterrent."

Judge Milford said that killings carried out by under-21s had doubled in the Northumbria Police area, and tripled among those under 17.

Sentencing Mr Martin’s killers, he raised concerns over these high rates of murders, and suggested that tougher sentences could be introduced to act as a real deterrent.

He said: "These are extremely concerning statistics, even if the statistics for this particular region are well below figures in other areas and detection rates here are higher.

"I would hope the minimum terms imposed upon young offenders are sufficiently long to spell out to young people the consequences of committing murder.

"If I be wrong, then perhaps the 12-year starting point for those under 18 needs to be looked at again by Parliament when the murder is, as in this case, particularly serious."

Northumbria Police last night said their murder rate was low and their detection rate high in comparison to other regions.

Det Supt Barbara Franklin, who led the investigation, said: "Brent Martin’s killers have been locked up for many years to come, and I hope his family and friends take some satisfaction from this as they continue to grieve for him.

"Judge Milford rightly raised the issue about crimes of violence committed by young people and we share his concerns.

"Although we’ve reduced violent crime in Northumbria over the past 15 years, our research has shown an increase in homicides committed by people under 21. We will take robust action against this.

"That’s why we’ve invested so heavily in recent initiatives to combat drunkenness and violence, which can often lead to someone being badly hurt or killed. Our aim is always to nip violent disorder in the bud before it turns to tragedy."

"I must stress that for a large urban force, our homicide rate is much lower than other similar forces, and our detection rate is extremely high.

"We also don’t have the kind of gang culture which features in other areas."

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "The 12-year starting point for juveniles convicted of murder is a starting point only and may be adjusted upwards or downwards in accordance with aggravating and mitigating factors as the courts believes is necessary.

"There are no current plans to revisit the juvenile starting point contained in the Criminal Justice Act 2003."

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What the law suggests for length of jail terms

UNDER the Criminal Justice Act of 2003, 12 years is the starting point for a judge to consider the minimum time a youth under the age of 18 must spend in custody for an offence of murder – which carries a life sentence.

That tariff increases or decreases depending on the aggravating and mitigating features in the case.

In both Bonallie and Miller’s case the tariff was increased to reflect factors including the sadistic nature of the killing and the vulnerability of the victim.

For an adult, the starting point is 15 years for murder with a 30-year starting point for a murder with seriously aggravating features.

Hughes, an adult at 22, was sentenced on the basis of a 30-year starting point to reflect the gravity of the crime, reduced to 22 years to reflect his guilty plea and age.

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Cheers as killers led to prison

RELATIVES of Brent Martin cheered from the public gallery as Hughes, Miller and Bonallie were led to the cells.

Outside the court Brent’s mother, Brenda Martin, welcomed the sentences.

She said that the family was relieved the case had now ended.

She also urged the authorities to listen to the families of murder victims.

She said: "The judge was brilliant."

And she added that the authorities "should help us once and for all".