Lives of families left in tatters

Twins Diane and Claire Sanderson were killed days apart by Hobson.

The families of Mark Hobson's victims are struggling to deal with the horror of his nine-day killing spree.

George Sanderson, the father of twins Claire and Diane, found their bodies in the killer's Camblesforth flat.

Mr Sanderson tried to kill himself following the murders and he and his wife have been treated for stress, a statement read to the court said.

The daughter of Hobson's other victims, James and Joan Britton, said the couple did not deserve their horrific end.

A Victim Impact Statement by Mr Sanderson, read to the court by prosecutor Paul Worsley QC, said he was once a happy, fun-loving man but now he was reclusive and "merely existed".

No-one can ever know how empty we feel without them Parents of Claire and Diane Sanderson

"Since the day I found Claire and Diane, I can't put it out of my mind. I found my girls robbed of their life."

In another statement the couple said they would never get over what happened.

"They came into this world together and left it so tragically together.

"They were loving girls, not only to each other but to anyone they thought needed love and a bit of encouragement," they said.

"No-one can ever know how empty we feel without them and we will never understand why this terrible thing had to happen to two beautiful, loving girls just about to start the best journey of their lives."

Joan and James Britton had been viciously assaulted

Catherine Wilkins, the Brittons' daughter, said her parents were "kind and helpful".

"They deserved to live out their lives in a peaceful and quiet way and didn't deserve the horror that came their way that Sunday morning," she said.

Following the case Det Supt Javad Ali said Hobson's motives remained unclear.

"We do not know his motives or why he turned into a vicious killer.

"He was interviewed at length but gave no explanation for his actions."

He said there was nothing police could have done to prevent the death of the Brittons.

"By the time we established what had occurred at Camblesforth, the Brittons were already dead.

"I can think of no reason at all why it was necessary for Hobson to kill them."