Woolwich Killers Sentenced To Life Imprisonment

One of Lee Rigby's killers has been told by a judge he will die in prison and the other has been jailed for a minimum of 45 years.

The soldier's family said Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale had received the "right prison terms" adding: "We feel satisfied that justice has been served for Lee."

There were dramatic scenes in court as the two murderers fought with guards in the dock as sentencing began. Adebolajo shouted at the judge, and he and Adebowale who also protested were restrained and pinned down by several guards at the Old Bailey.

The pair were taken back down to the cells and Adebolajo could be heard screaming from downstairs. The judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, then sentenced the men in their absence from the courtroom.

Adebolajo, 29, was given a whole-life term, and Adebowale, 22, was jailed for at least 45 years. They ran the soldier down before hacking him to death in Woolwich last year.

They both claimed they were "soldiers of Allah" and were motivated by the plight of Muslims abroad to carry out the killing, and have shown no remorse.

The struggle in the dock was triggered when the killers, both wearing Islamic robes, reacted angrily to comments that Mr Justice Sweeney made about their extremist beliefs.

He told them: "You each converted to Islam some years ago. Thereafter you were radicalised and each became an extremist, espousing views which, as has been said elsewhere, are a betrayal of Islam."

Adebowale protested this was a lie, ranting about the US and UK.

His co-killer joined in, screaming "Allahu Akbar" and hurling abuse at the guards who grappled him to the ground. The soldier's family were visibly distressed, and one relative needed medical treatment.

The judge said the killers' behaviour was "sickening and pitiless", and that Adebolajo had no hope of rehabilitation.

"Your sickening and pitiless conduct was in stark contrast to the compassion and bravery shown by the various women at the scene who tended to Lee Rigby's body and challenged what you had done and said."