Student killers' sentences stand

Sonnex and Farmer carried out an "orgy of bloodletting"

Jail terms given to the killers of two French students will not be referred to the Court of Appeal, the Attorney General has said.

Baroness Scotland appeared to rule out longer sentences for Dano Sonnex and Nigel Farmer, who murdered Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo, both 23.

She was considering whether the minimum term of 40 and 35 years for Sonnex and Farmer respectively was unduly lenient.

The students were bound and tortured to death in their New Cross flat in 2008.

I believe the sentences could not be said to fall outside the proper range... Baroness Scotland

The families of the students criticised the decision not to refer their sons' killers sentences to the Court of Appeal.

Mr Ferez's mother Francoise Villement, 46, said: "We hoped that the sentence would be longer. It's not right.

"This won't change anything for me because nothing can bring back my son but it was important that the sentence be longer in order to send a message to society."

Mr Bonomo's mother Lydie Bonomo, 53, said: "I'd have preferred them to have received a more final sentence but I'm not surprised by this. I thought it would be the case."

'Inhuman torture'

But Lady Scotland said there was "no prospect" the Court of Appeal would hand out longer sentences.

"I believe the sentences could not be said to fall outside the proper range and that there is no prospect that the Court of Appeal would increase them," she said.

The two promising students were subjected to "inhuman torture", the Old Bailey heard last month.

Students Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo were tied up and stabbed

Sonnex and Farmer broke in to their flat to rob the pair, but later returned to the scene set on revenge after a stolen cash card was rejected at an ATM.

It was then they killed the students - stabbing them almost 250 times - before attempting to burn their bodies.

Explaining her decision, Lady Scotland said that at the trial of Sonnex and Farmer, the judge had the option of imposing a "whole life" tariff on the defendants.

"But these sentences are rarely used," she continued.

"My remit was to look at whether the minimum periods of imprisonment could instead be described as unduly lenient.

"Having taken account of all relevant papers - including the statements of both families and the impact the murders had - I believe the sentences could not be said to fall outside the proper range.

"Even after the minimum terms are served, the offenders will remain in prison until the parole board judges them safe to be released."