Woolwich attack: life for Lee Rigby killers

Adebolajo, 29, and Adebowale, 22, were sentenced in their absence after being dragged down to the cells for brawling with security guards in the dock as Mr Justice Sweeney opened his sentencing remarks.

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 that this was a lie, ranting about America and Britain, and his accomplice joined in, screaming “allahu akbar” and hurling abuse at the prison guards who grappled him to the ground.

Both men were grabbed around the face as guards struggled to control them, and taken down to the cells.

The soldier’s family were visibly distressed, and one relative needed medical treatment.

Mr Justice Sweeney said as he sentenced the pair: “Your actions were a betrayal of Islam and of peaceful Muslims who contribute so much to our country.”

Video: Far-right protesters outside court call for pair to be hanged

BREAKING Judge sentences Adebolajo to a whole life tariff. Adebowale gets 45 years. #c4news

— Darshna Soni (@darshnasoni) February 26, 2014

Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale started fighting with guards after judge said their actions were “a betrayal of Islam.” #c4news

— Darshna Soni (@darshnasoni) February 26, 2014

Judge: Sickening & pitiless conduct of Adebolajo and Adebowale contrasted with bravery of women at scene who tended to Lee Rigby. #c4news

— Darshna Soni (@darshnasoni) February 26, 2014

Adebolajo and Adebowale hit Fusilier Rigby with a car before hacking him to death on 22 May last year.

The pair were convicted of Rigby’s murder in December, and since then the court of appeal has ruled that whole-life sentences for the “most heinous cases” are justified.

During their trial last year, Adebowale, from Greenwich, south-east London, offered no evidence in his defence.

Adebolajo, from Romford, Essex, argued that he was a “soldier” who was “obeying the command of Allah”. The Muslim convert said he did not regret killing Rigby, and also said that he “loves” al-Qaeda.

Following the convictions, Rigby’s family said they welcomed the killers’ convictions. His mother Lyn said: “We are satisfied that justice has been served, but unfortunately no amount of justice will ever bring Lee back.”

Michael Adebolajo

Adebolajo horrified millions of people by appearing on camera with bloodied hands clutching a knife and a meat cleaver moments after killing Lee Rigby.

The 29-year-old, who was raised as a Christian, became a committed Islamic extremist who tried to join jihadis in east Africa, and then brought terror to the streets of the UK.

In the shocking footage filmed just after the incident, he was seen ranting about how Muslims in other countries had to witness similar horrors to that which he and Adebowale had wreaked in south-east London. Another film clip captured him charging towards police clutching a knife and a meat cleaver, and flying through the air after he was shot by the embattled marksmen.

Giving evidence in court, he only showed emotion when talking about his religious beliefs, but remained calm when describing his chilling attempts to decapitate Fusilier Rigby. He told jurors that he had converted to Islam in 2002 or 2003, when he was a student at the University of Greenwich, and chose to take the name Mujahid Abu Hamza.

Adebolajo said he wanted to be called Mujahid, meaning fighter, after he learned “how much Allah loves the mujahideen”.

His friend Abu Nusaybah claimed that Adebolajo was asked to work for the British security services after he was caught, and Adebolajo told police that MI5 had visited his home. In police interviews and throughout his court appearances, he spoke about his political and religious motivations.

Before his defence case began, a hearing took place to establish ground rules for what would happen in court, to try to stop him using the Old Bailey as his soap box.

Mr Justice Sweeney told his barrister David Gottlieb: “In the light of what we all saw in the (police) interviews what needs to be clearly understood is that in the court arena at least a question is not a cue for a speech, it’s a cue for an answer.”

Adebolajo was held at high security Belmarsh prison after he was charged with the murder of Fusilier Rigby, and there he claimed that he was attacked by a group of prison officers, and lost his front teeth when they put him under restraint. Five members of prison staff were suspended after the incident, but the Prison Officers’ Association insisted that only approved restraint techniques had been used.

Michael Adebowale

Adebowale attacked three police officers in his first 24 hours in custody, it can now be reported.

The 22-year-old, who was confronted by courageous “Woolwich Angel” Ingrid Loyau-Kennett in the aftermath of Fusilier Rigby’s murder, was said to be “very unpredictable” when held by police.

As a teenager, he was victim of a knife attack in which his best friend was killed, and he told psychiatrists that he was haunted by the voices of his would-be killers.

He was discharged from hospital six days after Fusilier Rigby’s murder, and was formally charged on 29 May, appearing in court for the first time the next day.

The rare step was taken to allow him to be handcuffed while in the dock because of the risk to police, prison and security officers.

It emerged that he had attacked three police officers in 24 hours. The first incident was when he was in his cell picking out his stitches, and when a police officer came in to stop him, he punched him in the face with his right hand. Then when he was interviewed for the first time, he spat in an officer’s face; and in a third incident he spat in a glass of water and threw it in a police officer’s face.

While in prison he told psychiatrist Dr Neil Boast that he would hear voices in the morning for about 10 minutes.

Experts said he had suffered post-traumatic stress disorder after being a victim of the knife attack at the age of 16. Police said he was “quite a troubled young man” who had gone missing from home more than once.

Adebowale, known as Tobi, was raised as a Christian in south east London, and went to school in Kidbrooke. As he moved into his teens, he became involved in drugs and was linked to the Woolwich Boys gang – as was Adebolajo.

His concerned mother appealed for her friend Richard Taylor, the father of tragic Damilola who was killed at the age of 10 in a knife attack, to mentor her son, but he later fell into extremism.