Two youths were a ‘millimetre from a life sentence’ says judge

Two “feral youths” who stabbed a teenager 14 times in a vicious and premeditated attack have received combined jail sentences of 13-and-a-half years, with the judge warning both defendants today that they were “a millimetre away from doing a life sentence” and “should be down on their knees giving thanks” they are not, reports Alison O’Riordan.

Sentencing Sean Johnston (22) and his now 20-year-old co-accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, at the Central Criminal Court on Monday, Mr Justice Tony Hunt called the case “very disturbing” and described the very “calculated degree of violence” on the then 16-year-old victim as “shocking”.