GREAT BRITAIN • Sarah MOSLIN, 10 (1990)/ Convicted: Paul Somers ~ Yorkshire England

Child-killer rapist may be freed after judge’s ‘appalling’ ruling

Published on Thursday 16 August 2012 08:47

ONE of Britain’s most notorious child killers who raped and murdered a 10-year-old girl in Yorkshire could soon walk free after a leading judge ruled his crime was not sexually motivated.

Paul Somers, 55, lured 10-year-old Sarah Moslin to the wooded grounds of Killingbeck Hospital, in Leeds, before savagely raping her, crushing her skull with a stone and strangling her with a dog lead. He later returned to the scene, burying her body in a shallow grave and covering her with a corrugated metal sheet.

Somers tried to blame an entirely innocent friend for Sarah’s death and only pleaded guilty to the murder on the third day of his trial in July 1991. He was jailed for life.

But yesterday, after reviewing the case at London’s High Court, Mr Justice Hickinbottom opened the way for Somers to seek parole after fixing his minimum term at 22 years – meaning the tariff has now expired.

Last night Killingbeck councillor Graham Hyde, who has lived in the area for 50 years, branded the decision “appalling”.

“I just feel great sympathy for the family,” he said. “If somebody is sentenced to life then that is what it should mean. What are her family supposed to think if he is out walking free when they are still dealing with this on a daily basis.”

In his ruling, the judge said he had read victim impact statements from members of Sarah’s family, “which movingly breathe life into the inevitably terrible consequences that such an event must have for those close to the victim”.

He added: “It is clear that, for those who have lodged statements, they will never come to terms with what happened 22 years ago. For several, their lives have, for practical purposes, been ruined.”

The judge also accepted that by strangling Sarah with the dog chain, Somers must have “worsened her agony”, but said the motive for the crime was to conceal the rape.

“Although there was a sexual element to the murder, the murder did not have a sexual motivation”, he added.

Mr Justice Hickinbottom observed that, were Somers being sentenced for the first time today under much tougher guidelines now in force, he would receive “at least 25 years” in jail. However, he said he was bound by the softer sentencing rules in place at the time of the murder.

As a result, the judge has ruled that Somers’ crime was not so exceptionally serious as to justify a “whole life” sentence or a minimum term of 30 years.

After giving Somers a year off for his late guilty plea, he fixed his minimum term – or tariff – at 22 years. He added that he could “see no good reason” why Somers should not also be given credit for the 295 days he served on remand prior to sentence.

The ruling means Somers’ tariff has now expired and he can ask the Parole Board to free him. However, the judge emphasised that Somers’ life sentence means he will only be freed when the board is convinced the danger he poses to society has passed. Once released, he will remain on perpetual life licence, subject to prison recall if he puts a foot wrong ever again.

No member of Sarah’s family was in court to hear the judge’s ruling, but they have been told of the result. The Moslin family has continually posted online tributes to Sarah on her birthday and Christmas in the years following her murder.

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/at-a-glance/main-section/child-killer-rapist-may-be-freed-after-judge-s-appalling-ruling-1-4836680

"As a result, the judge has ruled that Somers’ crime was not so exceptionally serious as to justify a “whole life” sentence or a minimum term of 30 years."(snipped from above).

How dare he!!! He took possibly 60+ years from a 10 year old little girl; my gosh he raped her...what she went through...and what her family will always go through. They have been deprived of the joy of raising their daughter, basking in her graduation, marriage, grandchildren...and this buffoon has the audacity to say "not so serious....".

I see we are not the only country with moronic idiotic judges.

Why does he think the bastard raped her before he murdered her?

This is a travesty of justice.

Another quote from 'Un-justice' Hickinbottom bothers me:

“Although there was a sexual element to the murder, the murder did not have a sexual motivation.”

I don't think many murders are committed because of necromancy, whereby the murderer can have sex with a dead body, so I can't see where the judge's interpretation of the old law would even apply. I would say that in the case of all murders after a rape, the victim would be alive if it hadn't been for the sexually deviant behavior of the perpetrator, ergo this murder was sexually motivated.

Ladibug, I agree. This whole thing is sickening. Now, there will be another victim of this perverted, pedophile, murderer. This is disgusting.

He should have been castrated then hung by piano wire.
Especially after the guilty plea he agreed to.

William