Hammer killer Stone to serve at least 25 years

LONDON, Dec 22 (Reuters) Convicted killer Michael Stone must serve at least 25 years in jail for the murders of Lin and Megan Russell, bludgeoned to death as they walked down a country lane in 1996.

Mr Justice Royce told London's High Court yesterday that Stone would only be released once the Parole Board decides he poses no danger to the public.

Stone was given three life sentences in 2001 for the hammer murder of Dr Lin Russell, 45, her daughter Megan, six, and the attempted murder of Megan's nine-year old sister, Josie.

''This is a truly terrible case and I set the highest minimum term I am entitled to set,'' Royce said. ''In this case that is 25 years. There was an element of sadism. These were truly appalling offences.'' He rejected a plea by Stone's lawyers that the minimum term should be set at less than 25 years.

''The only ground advanced appears to be that the defendant is still protesting his innocence,'' Royce said. ''That is not a factor that should have any bearing on this matter and I disregard it.'' Since the killings, Stone, 45, has fought a protracted legal battle claiming he was innocent.

His first conviction in 1998 for the killings was quashed by the Court of Appeal in February 2001.

However, he was then convicted a second time at a retrial in October 2001.

A new appeal on the basis that this conviction was also unsafe was dismissed in 2005.

REUTERS MS RK0915