PAUL SOMERS CHILD KILLER IN WEST YORKSHIRE GETS REDUCED LIFE SENTENCE

PAUL SOMERS CHILD KILLER IN WEST YORKSHIRE GETS REDUCED LIFE SENTENCE

In August 2012, a judge ruled that Paul Somers, a convicted child rapist and murderer from West Yorkshire, can now request parole as his life sentence has been reduced.

Somers was originally convicted of the abduction, rape, and murder of a 10-year-old girl, Sarah, in 1990.

The crime involved Savagely abusing the girl in woods before crushing her skull with a stone and strangling her with a dog lead, then burying her in a shallow grave.

At 55 years old, Somers had previously faced charges related to four rapes spanning 13 years.

He was acquitted of three of these charges but served four years for the fourth.

In 1991, Somerset was sentenced to life imprisonment in Leeds.

However, in a ruling made yesterday, Mr Justice Hickinbottom stated that the severity of the crime did not warrant a 'whole life' term.

The judge noted that while strangling Sarah with a dog chain likely worsened her suffering, the primary motive for the murder was to cover up the rape.

The judge explained, 'Although there was a sexual element to the murder, the murder did not have a sexual motivation.' As a result, the court set the minimum term at 22 years.

Additionally, Somers will receive credit for 295 days he spent on remand, and he is now eligible for parole consideration.