Legal team considers Exeter bomber appeal
THE legal team of Exeter bomber Nicky Reilly have said they are still "contemplating" an appeal against his sentence.
Reilly, now aged 23, was jailed for life last month at the Old Bailey — with an order that he serve a minimum of 18 years — for his attempted bombing of the Giraffe restaurant in Princesshay last year.
The Muslim convert from Plymouth had pleaded guilty to the attack in which he accidentally set off a home-made nail bomb in a toilet cubicle as he prepared to target dozens of innocent people.
At the time of his sentencing, Reilly's barrister Kerim Fuad described him as "vulnerable" and the "least cunning person" to have ever been charged with terrorism offences.
He was said in court to suffer from learning difficulties and Asperger's syndrome — a form of autism that affects people's social communication, interaction and imagination — and have a mental age of 10.
Despite reports yesterday that Reilly is set to appeal against his sentence, the Court of Appeal in London confirmed that no such appeal has been lodged for Nicky Reilly under either his Christian name, or his Muslim name of Mohammad Abdulaziz Rashid Saeed-Alim.
His solicitor, Peter Woodley of Nunn Rickards Solicitors in Exeter, said only that the legal team were still "contemplating" an appeal.
Reilly's mother Kim said she hoped his jail term could be reduced.
But she said she was more concerned about where he was currently serving his sentence.
She said: "When I recently saw Nicky he said he would definitely be going into a hospital. He seemed quite clear about it.
"As I understand it, you don't have to go for an appeal to be moved from a prison into a hospital for treatment.
"That is decided by the psychiatrists, the doctors and the prison service.
"He's had a nurse assigned to him at [HMP] Belmarsh.
"But they all know he shouldn't really be in there, not for the next 18 years.
"It hasn't really sunk in for him yet.
"He knows he must serve at least 18 years, but he doesn't seem to understand how long that will be for him.
"Our solicitor has told me from the day he was sentenced they would appeal if they could.
"They're still looking into it at the moment."
Sentencing Reilly on January 30, Mr Justice Calvert-Smith said: "The offence of attempted murder is aggravated by the fact that it was long- planned, that it had multiple intended victims and was intended to terrorise the population of this country."
At the time the length of the sentence was welcomed by Devon and Cornwall Police's Assistant Chief Constable Debbie Simpson.
She said: "The substantial sentence demonstrates the seriousness of his actions and the carnage they could have caused."
4 Comments
by Basil Brush, Brittany
Wednesday, February 18 2009, 6:22PM
“What if there were a load of weapons dealers or people who produce porn in there?
Or do they only exist in highclass cleverton t.v. sets up in the sky?”
by NC, NYC usa
Wednesday, February 18 2009, 11:34AM
“My nephew has the syndrome,its an insult to people with this illness, he knows right from wrong, lock him up and throw away the key,what if the bomb killed those people that day , the intent was too kill ,hes guilty pleaded guilty .lock him up.for life”
by TD, Exeter
Tuesday, February 17 2009, 12:31PM
“Leave him where he is i say. He was aware enough to learn how to make a bomb, buy the things needed to make a bomb, and travel to Exeter with the intent to take lives therefore he should serve the sentence given to him, regardless of his vunerability.”
by Berny, Exeter
Tuesday, February 17 2009, 11:10AM
“Even if the boy is ill, he still could have taken the lives of many people if the bomb had gone of properly. He should spend the whole time in a secure hospital if the prison isn't the way forward.”