Rhys Bennett, who raped a mother of two and then burned her alive, has been given a lighter prison sentence than expected.
Bennett attacked 47 year old Jill Barclay while she was walking home from a night out in Aberdeen last September. Bennett, who is 23, was told that he would have been sentenced to at least 29 years. But shockingly, the judge ended up giving him a shorter sentence.
Last September, Bennett horrifically attacked Ms Barclay.
Rhys Bennett case
Mr Bennett followed his victim home from a pub in Aberdeen, raped her and then returned later to pour petrol on her and set her alight. The murderer was branded “feral” as he was sentenced by Judge Lord Arthurson on Wednesday (May 24). He plead guilty to rape, murder and attempting to defeat the ends of justice at the High Court in Edinburgh.
Bennett was given a life sentence with at least 24 years in prison. He was also placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely. However, a controversial new law made him eligible for a lighter sentence.
Shock reason ‘feral’ Brit given lighter sentence
The judge sentenced Bennett for his horrific crime saying: “I have determined on the particular facts of this case that the notional headline punishment part of that sentence should sit at a period of 29 years.”
However, he then went on to make the sentence lighter: “I fix the actual punishment part of your life sentence at a period of 24 years.”
He explained that this was a result of the murderer’s young age.
Last January, new guidelines came into effect in Scotland on sentencing under 25s.
The guidelines state: “If a custodial sentence is imposed on a young person, it should be shorter than that which would have been imposed on an older person for the same, or a similar, offence.”
This new approach was intended to shift the focus of prison from punishment to rehabilitation.
Jill’s family released a statement: “We would like to thank family, friends and the community for their comforting support following Jill’s tragic death as we have waited for justice. Jill was a deeply loved life partner, mother and daughter. She didn’t deserve to die that day and especially in the unspeakable, brutal way it happened. This man has taken so much from us and changed our lives forever.
“Our family would like everyone, including the press, to respect our privacy at this difficult time so we can be left in peace to grieve.”
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