Four appeal Leneghan murder convictions

Four of the men who tortured schoolgirl Mary-Ann Leneghan in England before stabbing her to death have lodged appeals.

Four of the men who tortured schoolgirl Mary-Ann Leneghan in England before stabbing her to death have lodged appeals.

Mary-Ann (16), whose father is from Co Mayo, was stabbed to death in the attack in Reading last year. Her 18-year-old friend was shot in the head, but survived and was the chief prosecution witness at the mens' trial.

According to the Criminal Appeal Office, Jamaile Morally (22), has lodged an appeal against his conviction, 20-year-old Adrian Thomas against his sentence and Indrit Krasniqi (18), against both conviction and sentence.

An official at Reading Crown Court said he understood that 24-year-old Llewelyn Adams has also lodged an appeal although it is not known on what grounds.

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The four were convicted together with two other men, Joshua Morally (23), and Michael Johnson (19), of the kidnap and murder of Mary-Ann and the kidnap and attempted murder of her 18-year-old friend.

Thomas, of Battersea; Johnson, of Southfields; and the Morally brothers were convicted of orally raping both girls and assaulting the older girl while Jamaile Morally was also convicted of vaginally raping her.

Krasniqi was also convicted of assault.

All six were each given four life sentences each. Thomas, Johnson, and the Morally brothers were told they would each serve a minimum of 27 years while Adams and Krasniqi were told they must serve at least 23 years before being considered for parole.

The girls were abducted, bundled into a car boot and driven to a tiny hotel room in the early hours of May 7th, where they were subjected to rape and torture.