Paedophile killer's jail term cut

A convicted killer who strangled a notorious paedophile while in prison has had his minimum jail term cut by eight years by a top judge.

John Brooks was in HMP Whitemoor, Cambridge, for manslaughter when he murdered Leslie "Catweazle" Bailey in his cell in 1993.

Bailey was in jail for murdering Mark Tildesley in 1984 and the manslaughter of Jason Swift in 1992.

Mr Justice Tugendhat cut Brooks' 25-year tariff to 17 years.

Paedophile ring

Bailey was part of a paedophile gang whose members included Sidney Cooke.

In July 1995 Brooks was convicted of murdering Bailey and jailed for life, along with co-accused Michael Cain.

His tariff was set in 1996 at 25 years by the then Home Secretary Michael Howard.

Mr Justice Tugendhat, sitting at the High Court on Friday, cut the tariff to 17 years.

He said the murder was not so out of the ordinary as to justify a 25-year tariff.

The ruling means Brooks can seek release in 2012, although he will have to convince the Parole Board he is no longer a danger to the public.