Tri-Service
Man Jailed For Plot To Behead British Soldier Has Sentence Reduced
A man jailed for hatching a plot to behead a British soldier inspired by the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby has won a reduction in his sentence.
Five judges in London quashed the original custodial term of 22 years imposed in the case of Brusthom Ziamani, who was arrested in an east London street carrying a knife and a hammer in a rucksack, and replaced it with 19 years.
Ziamani, now 20, was found guilty at the Old Bailey in February last year of a Section 5 offence.
He was later given an extended sentence, made up of a custodial term of 22 years and an extended licence period of five years.
A knife shown in court during Ziamani's trial. Picture: Met Police
The court was told that he had researched the location of Army cadet bases in the south east of the capital.
He had shown his ex-girlfriend weapons, described Fusilier Rigby's killer Michael Adebolajo as a "legend" and told her he would "kill soldiers".
The Old Bailey heard he was a "lone wolf" who had been radicalised after being befriended by members of a radical Muslim organisation which held meetings and demonstrations in London.
Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas, announcing the court's conclusions, said:
"We are entirely satisfied that the judge was right in concluding that Ziamani was dangerous; he had heard the evidence, including that of Ziamani."
His offending was towards the "very top of the scale" for offences under Section 5, "but, given his youth, we consider that the custodial part of the sentence, namely 22 years, was too long".
He added, however, that the extension period, at the maximum of five years, was "entirely correct".
Cover photo courtesy of Nigel Cox via Geograph.
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