Sophie Lancaster murderer's sentence reduced

One of the two teenage boys who murdered student Sophie Lancaster "for being a goth" last August has had his jail term reduced by the Court of Appeal.

Sophie and boyfriend Robert Maltby were the victims of an unprovoked attack in Stubbylee Park in Bacup, Lancashire in the early hours of August 11 2007. A gang of five boys (aged between 15-17) whom Sophie and Robert had earlier been talking with, suddenly turned into a "pack of wild animals" and began kicking and stamping on Roberts head. They then began to attack Sophie as she tried to protect her boyfriend.

Sophie, who was left comatose, died in hospital of her injuries 13 days after the attack. She was 20 years old.

One of her attackers, 16 year old Ryan Herbert, admitted murder and was sentenced to a minimum of 16 years and three months in prison in April of this year. However, today the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, reduced his sentence by nine months.
Herbert's co-defendant, Brendan Harris' appeal was rejected by the court and he must serve 18 years in prison as per the original sentence.

Three other teenagers involved in the attack also had sentence appeals rejected. Danny Hulme (16) and brother Joseph (18) are each serving a minimum of five years and 10 months in prison while Daniel Mallett (18) is serving four years and four months.

During today's appeal, Lord Judge described the attack as an "appalling crime" and added that Herbert's sentence reduction was being allowed to a "very limited extent" because of his age.