Judge ruled on sex cases

LORD Justice Fulford has presided over several highprofile trials, including those of the 21/7 London bombers. As an Appeal Court judge, he has reviewed the sentences of several paedophiles, both reducing and increasing their sentences:

CASE 1 2014:

Fulford and two other judges rejected the appeal of Ambrose Clifton, 72, who was jailed for 14 years after he raped and molested a young girl. Fulford said the judge in the original 2012 trial had been ‘unimpeachable’ in his handling of the case.

CASE 2 2013:

Senior Buddhist monk Pahalagama Somaratana, 67, carried out four sexual attacks on a girl aged eight or nine, after luring her into a room with sweets. Fulford and two other judges cut his sentence from seven years to six.

CASE 3 2013:

Jade Cook, 23, was jailed indefinitely for public protection after admitting four counts of sexual activity with a child aged 13. Fulford and two other judges cut that to six years and three months, followed by three years on licence.

CASE 4 2006:

‘Baby rapist’ Alan Webster was sentenced to life with a minimum of six years. After public outcry, the Lord Chief Justice and a panel, including Fulford, increased the minimum term by two years.

CASE 5 2005:

Fulford and two other judges reduced the sentence on Nigel Simmonds, 40, who had befriended two single mothers before molesting their young children. Simmonds had offended before, but his term was cut from six to five years.