One of Britain's most notorious child killers can ask to be freed after a High Court judge ruled that his crime was not sexually motivated.
Paul Somers, 55, lured 10-year-old Sarah Moslin to the wooded grounds of Killingbeck Hospital, in Leeds, before raping her, crushing her skull with a stone and strangling her with a dog lead. He later returned to the scene, burying her body in a shallow grave and covering her with a corrugated metal sheet.
Somers tried to blame an entirely innocent friend for Sarah's death but pleaded guilty to the murder on the third day of his July 1991 trial. He was jailed for life.
After reviewing the case at the High Court, Mr Justice Hickinbottom has opened the way for Somers to seek parole after fixing his minimum term at 22 years.
The judge said that he had read victim impact statements from members of Sarah's family ‘which movingly breathe life into the inevitably terrible consequences that such an event must have for those close to the victim.
‘It is clear that, for those who have lodged statements, they will never come to terms with what happened 22 years ago. For several, their lives have, for practical purposes, been ruined.’
However, the judge went on to rule that Somers' crime was not so exceptionally serious as to justify a 'whole life' sentence or a minimum term of 30 years. The motive for Somers' crime was to conceal the rape and the judge observed: ‘Although there was a sexual element to the murder, the murder did not have a sexual motivation.’
Somers will also be given credit for the 295 days he served on remand prior to sentence and the judge’s ruling means that his tariff has now expired and he can ask the Parole Board to free him.
However, the judge emphasised that Somers' life sentence means he will only be freed when the board is convinced that the danger he poses to society has passed. Once released, he will remain on perpetual life licence, subject to prison recall if he puts a foot wrong ever again.