Mary-Ann killers jailed for life

The six men responsible for the murder of Mary-Ann

Six men have been jailed for life for the kidnap, torture and murder of schoolgirl Mary-Ann Leneghan.

The 16-year-old was raped and beaten before being stabbed to death in Reading, Berkshire, in May last year.

The London gang was also convicted of the attempted murder of her friend, 19, who survived being shot in the head.

Adrian Thomas, 20, Michael Johnson, 19, Jamaile and Joshua Morally, 22 and 23, Llewellyn Adams, 24 and Indrit Krasniqi, 18, were all sentenced.

Thomas, of Battersea, south London and Johnson, of Southfields, south London, were each told during sentencing at Reading Crown Court that they must serve at least 27 years.

Brothers Jamaile and Joshua Morally, of Balham, south London, were also told they must serve at least 27 years.

Mary-Ann was found dead in a park in Reading

Adams, also from Balham, and Krasniqi, of Chiswick, west London, were ordered to serve at least 23 years.

Surrounded by 30 members her family, Mary-Ann's uncle, Charlie Harris told reporters: "I am just glad that justice has been done at the end of the day.

"We just want to try to rebuild our lives, now we can go over to the grave, the memorial, and see Mary-Ann and say hello to her.

"Now we can finally lay Mary-Ann to rest."

'Torture horror'

The eight-week trial heard how Mary-Ann and her friend were abducted in Reading during the early hours of 7 May, 2005.

The teenagers were bundled into a car boot and driven to a tiny room at the Abbey House Hotel in the city.

Charlie Harris, Mary-Ann's uncle believes "justice has been done"

The girls were drugged, raped and tortured with cigarettes, knives, a metal bar and boiling water for three hours before being driven to Prospect Park to be executed in a revenge killing for an earlier gang attack on Adrian Thomas.

One prosecution lawyer likened their torture to the "horror of war crimes".

Referring to the family of Mary-Ann, Mr Justice Penry-Davey said: "Nothing that I can say can touch upon the terrible loss that they have suffered.

"I would like simply to express my praise for the dignity and restraint they have shown in the light of this appalling tragedy throughout this case."

It emerged after the trial that Thomas, Johnson, Jamaile Morally and Krasniqi, had been serving community sentences at the time of the murder.

Mr Harris added: "They should have all been tagged and they should all have been on a curfew - that's it."