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05/04/2011
Sweeney Sentenced To Life Imprisonment
John Sweeney has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murders of Paula Fields and Melissa Halstead.
Sentencing took place at the Old Bailey today with the judge imposing a 'whole life order' on Sweeney. Sweeney was also sentenced to ten years for perverting the course of justice - the sentences will run concurrently.
This follows yesterday's conviction for the double murders spanning more than a decade.
The court heard that on 3 May 1990, the dismembered body of Melissa Halstead was discovered in the Westersingel Canal in Rotterdam.
In December 1994, four years after Melissa's disappearance, Sweeney almost killed Delia Balmer with whom he was in a relationship. She survived, but is physically and mentally scarred by the attack.
After attacking her with a knife and an axe, and leaving her for dead, Sweeney went on the run for six years and used various aliases before being arrested in London in March 2001 - a month after Paula's body was discovered.
In November 2001 Sweeney was convicted of the attempted murder of Delia Balmer.
The dismembered body of Paula Fields was found in several holdalls on 19 February 2001 in Regent's Canal, between Royal College Street and St Pancras Way, north west London.
A post mortem at St Pancras Mortuary held on 21 February 2001 failed to determine the cause of death.
(BMcN/KMcA)
Sentencing took place at the Old Bailey today with the judge imposing a 'whole life order' on Sweeney. Sweeney was also sentenced to ten years for perverting the course of justice - the sentences will run concurrently.
This follows yesterday's conviction for the double murders spanning more than a decade.
The court heard that on 3 May 1990, the dismembered body of Melissa Halstead was discovered in the Westersingel Canal in Rotterdam.
In December 1994, four years after Melissa's disappearance, Sweeney almost killed Delia Balmer with whom he was in a relationship. She survived, but is physically and mentally scarred by the attack.
After attacking her with a knife and an axe, and leaving her for dead, Sweeney went on the run for six years and used various aliases before being arrested in London in March 2001 - a month after Paula's body was discovered.
In November 2001 Sweeney was convicted of the attempted murder of Delia Balmer.
The dismembered body of Paula Fields was found in several holdalls on 19 February 2001 in Regent's Canal, between Royal College Street and St Pancras Way, north west London.
A post mortem at St Pancras Mortuary held on 21 February 2001 failed to determine the cause of death.
(BMcN/KMcA)
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The first ever joint European murder investigation involving a UK force has resulted in the conviction of a 54-year-old man for the murders of two women. John Patrick Sweeney, was found guilty at the Old Bailey of the murders of Paula Fields and Melissa Halstead following an EU Commission funded operation involving UK and Netherlands Police.
Man Convicted Of Canal Murders
The first ever joint European murder investigation involving a UK force has resulted in the conviction of a 54-year-old man for the murders of two women. John Patrick Sweeney, was found guilty at the Old Bailey of the murders of Paula Fields and Melissa Halstead following an EU Commission funded operation involving UK and Netherlands Police.
13 June 2006
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Attorney General Lord Goldsmith has said that he will not bow to political pressure in the row of a sentence handed down to a convicted child sex offender. Craig Sweeney, 24, from Newport, Wales was sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday after pleading guilty to the kidnap and sexual assault of a three-year-old girl in January.
Goldsmith resists 'political pressure' in child sex sentence row
Attorney General Lord Goldsmith has said that he will not bow to political pressure in the row of a sentence handed down to a convicted child sex offender. Craig Sweeney, 24, from Newport, Wales was sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday after pleading guilty to the kidnap and sexual assault of a three-year-old girl in January.
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Funeral Held For MN17 Crash Victim Liam Sweeney
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Funeral Held For MN17 Crash Victim Liam Sweeney
A funeral service has been held in Newcastle for Liam Sweeney, a victim of the MH17 air disaster. Mr Sweeney and John Alder (63) were killed in the plane crash in Ukraine on 17th July. Family and friend's gathered at St Mary's Cathedral, where Mr Sweeney was described as a "family man and a gentle giant".
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