Family fury at killers' victory
The family of Shropshire murder victim Gerry McAndrew today spoke of their fury after his killers had their prison sentences slashed because the murder was not "sadistic".
Michael Boland, 37, and Tony Tinsley, 28, were convicted of the murder of Gerry McAndrew, pictured, in June last year. The body of the 47-year-old Irishman was dumped in Dale End Park in Ironbridge in July 2005.
Boland, of Westbourne, Woodside, was jailed for life and ordered to serve at least 28 years behind bars, while Tinsley, of Lord Murray Drive, Woodside, received a minimum of 25 years.
Yesterday at London's Criminal Appeal Court, Lord Justice Moses, Mr Justice Crane and Mr Justice Griffith-Williams cut both "tariffs" by three years each.
Today, Mr McAndrew's eldest son, Scott, who was at court in London yesterday, said: "We are not happy with that at all. They put in for an appeal and it was all based on the wording.
"It doesn't seem right that they have had their sentence cut. They took my dad's life and it should be their life that they spend in jail."
Tinsley, pictured right, and Boland, below, had denied murder and blamed each other for Mr McAndrew's death. But last year a jury at Stafford Crown Court unanimously found them guilty of murder.
The judges agreed and added: "We, with some hesitation, do not think the conduct in this case reaches that level."
Boland will now serve a minimum of 25 years and Tinsley will serve 22.
Lord Justice Moses said they beat the grandfather unconscious before dragging him across the ground, dumping him in the boot of a car and slamming the boot on to his legs. They dumped Mr McAndrew in the park where they stripped him and kicked him.
By Kirsty Marston
