Two crimes but just one sentence

IT was disturbing to read that, after horrifically stabbing his ex-girlfriend - and her new boyfriend - to death in Cardiff’s Queen St, in a carefully internet-researched and premeditated brutal double murder, “possessive” and “controlling” Andrew Saunders was given, basically, just one minimum life sentence of 23 years. No wonder he, as reported, “thanked the judge”.

Of, course, no length of sentence can bring loved ones back or compensate for the victims’ families’ devastating loss, but to witness the defendant be awarded, effectively, an 11½ year sentence for each of his innocent victim’s young lives is truly shocking. Essentially, that’s two murders for the price of one - a macabre offer indeed. The judge may as well have appeared on the crime scene - after Saunders’ murdered his first victim - to inform him: “If you take a second life, it won’t affect your first sentence”.

Hbos fraudster Lynden Scourfield was recently awarded 11 years in jail, without even killing anybody but, of course, money - in the eyes of the law and in other facets of society - is, sadly, often valued above human life. Predictably, “medical evidence” was heard in court which stated that the accused had been suffering from “adjustment disorder”. But, regardless of any trendy modern diagnosis, this unrelenting, merciless and savage double-murder was spawned, tragically, from age-old jealousy and - murderous - hatred. Saunders’ punishment should reflect this. Howard Henry Smith

Penarth