02/03/2007

Nail bomber to serve 50-years

The London Nail Bomber – David Copeland has been ordered to spend at least 50-years behind bars after killing three-people in London in 1999.

Copeland, 30, was given six life sentences at the Old Bailey in June 2000 for three counts of murder and three of causing explosions in order to endanger life.

He was originally ordered to spend a minimum of 30-years behind bars before being considered for parole, however in a new ruling by a High Court Judge, Copeland has now been ordered to spend a minimum of 50-years in custody under a new legislation due to the "exceptional gravity" if the case.

Earlier today, Mr Justice Burton described the case as "really exceptional case of deliberate, multiple murder" and added that the period of 13-months and 26-days, which Copeland had already served on remand, would be deducted from the term.

Copeland, from Cove, Farnborough, Hants, admitted causing explosions in Brixton, Brick Lane and Soho, London, over a 13-day period in April 1999. Three people died during the explosions – they were 27-year-old Andrea Dykes, who was pregnant, John Light, 32, and Nik Moore, 31, from Essex. 139-people were also injured.

Copeland was tried for the three murders after the prosecution refused to accept his plea guilty to manslaughter on the grounds that he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.

Mr Justice Burton continued: "A defence was put forward by the defendant of diminished responsibility, which the jury rejected, but it was in any event clear that the defendant suffered from a serious mental condition.

It is understood that Copeland had intended to start a race war throughout Britain as a result of his bombing campaign.

(EF/SP)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

05 November 2010
UK Property Prices 'Still Falling'
House prices in the three months to October were 1.2% lower than in the preceding three months, according to the Halifax. The financial services provider, part of the Lloyds Banking Group, said prices in October were 2.3% lower than at the end of 2009 on a seasonally adjusted basis (-1.2% unadjusted).
09 June 2005
Manufacturing output shows slight upward trend
Figures published today by the Office of National Statistics have shown that between March and April this year manufacturing output rose by 0.9%. While analysts warn that monthly growth rates are "volatile" indicators of productivity, there were nonetheless widespread rises in manufacturing, the most significant being increases in output of 2.
28 July 2014
Man Admits £300,000 Help For Heroes Charity Collection Fraud
A man from Devon has admitted stealing £300,000 from the Help for Heroes charity. Christopher Copeland, 51, used teams of volunteers to take part in bogus charity collections. He told the volunteers he was collecting the money for Help for Heroes, however he was actually putting the money collected into his own bank account.
22 August 2008
Glitter Ordered To Sign Sex Offenders Register
Former glam rock singer Gary Glitter has been ordered to sign the sex offenders register after arriving back in Britain. Glitter was met at Heathrow Airport by a media scrum as well as police officers from the anti-paedophile Operation Jigsaw. The convicted sex offender, spent three years in a Vietnamese jail for abusing two girls aged 10 and 11.
20 July 2007
Father jailed for life for honour killing
A man has been jailed for life for the 'honour killing' of his daughter. Banaz Mahmod, 20, was strangled and buried in a suitcase in Birmingham because she had a boyfriend whom her father disapproved of. During the trial, it was revealed that she was raped and tortured before her death.