DECISION MADE ON REVIEW OF DOUBLE KILLER’S SENTENCE
A BRUTAL double murderer who stabbed his ex-girlfriend and her new partner to death will not have his jail sentence reviewed after complaints it was too lenient.
Andrew Saunders, 21, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 23 years and four months after he admitted stabbing ex-girlfriend Zoe Morgan, 21, and her new partner Lee Simmons to death in Cardiff’s Queen Street.
Following the sentencing hearing, the victims’ families said they were “bitterly disappointed” with the length of the sentence.
It was announced yesterday that Saunders’ sentence will not be subject to review after it was referred to the Attorney General with a request for the case to be considered under the unduly lenient sentence scheme.
A spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office said: “This was a harrowing case.
“Solicitor General Robert Buckland expresses his deepest sympathies to the families of Zoe Morgan and Lee Simmons.
“However, after very careful consideration, the Solicitor General has decided not to refer the life sentence passed on Andrew Saunders to the Court of Appeal.
“He concluded that the minimum term of 23 years and four months’ imprisonment, to be served by the offender in full, before he will be considered for release would not be increased by the court.”
After Saunders was sentenced, 33-year-old Mr Simmons’ family said: “No sentence or punishment will ever compensate for the loss of Lee’s life.”
They added: “Saunders’ actions have ensured that a life sentence has been imposed upon us.”
Ms Morgan’s family said: “No matter how long this evil individual gets in prison it will make no difference to the life sentence that we have until we die.
“I hope that every day Saunders is thinking about what he has done to us and what he has done to our beautiful daughter.”
On the first day of the two-day sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court last month, prosecutor Philip Bennetts QC suggested the minimum term should be 30 years.
But defence barrister Winston Roddick QC argued that was “far too much” and said 20 years would be more appropriate.
Mrs Justice Nicola Davies said: “Having taken account of the aggravating and mitigating factors, the starting point for the minimum term of custody is 28 years.”
Cardiff Queen Street murderer Andrew Saunders has never shown any remorse for killing the couple
The judge sentenced Saunders to life in prison, with a minimum term of 23 years and four months, giving credit for 151 days in custody.
She told the defendant: “It is most important that you, and everyone else concerned with this case, should understand what this in fact means.
“The minimum term is not a fixed term after which you will automatically be released but the minimum time you spend in custody before your case can be considered by the parole board.
“It will be for the parole board to say, at that time, whether or not you will be released.”
Saunders carried out his “savage and despicable” attack just after 6am on September 28.
A witness saw Saunders take an eight-inch knife from his backpack “in a frenzy”.
He was caught on CCTV stabbing Mr Simmons repeatedly and a passerby heard him shout to Ms Morgan: “I’m coming for you next b **** .”
The court heard he chased her to Boots, before pulling a second 10-inch knife from his bag and attacking her.
Ms Morgan and Mr Simmons, who worked together at Matalan, were both pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.