Old Colwyn murderers appeals rejected

Two sisters jailed for the brutal murder of their father have had their sentence challenges turned down by the country's top judge.

Ashleigh Robinson, 19, and her sister Holly, aged 16, were each jailed for life at Mold Crown Court in February after they were convicted of murdering their 61-year-old antiques dealer father, Antoni Robinson, who was stabbed to death at his home in Old Colwyn.
 
Their boyfriends, Gorden Harding, 20, and Sacha Roberts, 19, were also given life sentences after they were likewise convicted of murder.
 
The prosecution claimed the two sisters' motivation was greed as they wanted to get their hands on their father's cash safe, and that they recruited Harding and Roberts to carry out the murder.
 
The prosecution claimed it was Harding who killed Mr Robinson but the four killers were prosecuted on the basis of their "joint enterprise" involvement in the knife attack.
 
Alongiside their automatic life sentences the four murderers received minimum term sentences for their crime - the minimum period they must serve before applying for parole.
 
Holly Robinson, of Woodland Road, West Colwyn Bay, was given an 18-year minimum term, while her sister, Ashleigh, of the same address, received a 22-year minimum.  Harding was ordered to serve at least 22 years and Roberts, also of Woodland Road, received a 20-year minimum.
 
Lawyers for all four went to London's Appeal Court challenging those terms, but had their cases rejected by the nation's top judge, the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge.
 
They claimed the trial judge adopted "too high a starting point" when setting their minimum terms.
Barr, of Sunningdale Avenue, Colwyn Heights, also challenged her four-year term, which her lawyers claimed was "manifestly excessive".
 
However, after a short hearing Lord Judge, sitting with Lord Justice Leveson and Mr Justice Bean - rejected the appeals.  The court will give reasons for its decision at a later date.