This year has seen a string of murderers convicted and locked up for appalling and sickening crimes. Among the most high-profle of these was Ali Harbi Ali, who was given a whole life order for the terror-related murder of MP Sir David Amess.
Just days before Christmas quadruple killer Damien Bendall was sentenced to a whole life term for murdering his pregnant partner Terri Harris, her two children Lacey and John Paul Bennett and Lacey’s friend Connie Gent. Bendall also raped Lacey as she lay dying.
In Scotland, the family of Renee MacRae and her three-year-old son finally saw someone jailed for their murders. Their bodies have never been found since their disappearance more than four decades ago, and the case was one of the longest running missing persons inquiries in the country. William MacDowell, 81, was handed a life sentence after being found guilty of the murders.
The case of five-year-old Logan Mwangi, who was found dead in a river in Bridgend, Wales, shocked the whole nation. It transpired that Logan was the victim of a campaign of abuse. His mother Angharad Williamson, her partner John Cole, and Cole’s stepson - who was only 13 years old at the time of Logan’s death, were all locked up after being found guilty of murder.
Here are 20 of the most notorious criminals who faced justice this year.
In Scotland, the family of Renee MacRae and her three-year-old son finally saw someone jailed for their murders. Their bodies have never been found since their disappearance more than four decades ago, and the case was one of the longest running missing persons inquiries in the country. William MacDowell, 81, was handed a life sentence after being found guilty of the murders.
5. Agnieszka Kalinowska.
Agnieszka Kalinowska was also jailed for a minimum of 39 years alongside her partner for the murder of her son Sebastian.
The 15-year-old had been in the UK for less than a year when he died after moving from Poland to live with his mother.
On the occasion where Latoszeski was stabbing Sebastian with a needle Kalinowska at one point took over hurting Sebastian with the needle.
On the morning of Sebastian’s final day, he went through “the routine of being assaulted” by both his mother and her partner.
In a victim impact statement Sebastian’s father called her “the greatest evil that walks this Earth”.
6. Can Arslan
Can Arslan stabbed his neighbour to death on his front lawn.
Two off-duty police officers armed with wood and golf clubs tried to stop Arslan from harming anyone else after he murdered Matthew Boorman on 5 October 2021.
A group of residents in the street also gathered to surround Arslan who had knifed his neighbour 27 times.
Matthew’s wife Sarah suffered a deep wound to her leg as she tried to pull him off her husband, and the attacker then forced his way into the home of Peter Marsden and knifed him eight times.
The killing of Matthew was the culmination of 12 years of threats from Arslan against his neighbours in Walton Cardiff, near Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire.
In June Arslan was sentenced to a minimum of 38 years in prison.
7. John Cole
John Cole, 40, was told in June he would spend at least 29 years behind bars for the murder of his partner’s son Logan Mwangi.
Logan, 5, a previously “smiling, cheerful little boy”, was discovered in the River Ogmore in Pandy Park, Bridgend, Wales, on the morning of 31 July, 2021.
Police found him partially submerged, wearing dinosaur pyjama bottoms and a Spider-Man top just 250 metres from his home.
The youngster had suffered 56 external cuts and bruises, and “catastrophic” internal injuries, which were likened to a high-speed road accident.
Cole was convicted of murder alongside Logan’s mum Angharad Williamson and his teenage stepson Craig Mulligan.
8. Craig Mulligan
Teen killer Mulligan was just 13 years old when he took part in fatal assaults on defenceless Logan Mwangi and assisted his stepfather John Cole in disposing of the youngster’s body in the River Ogmore. Mulligan was 14 years old when he was sentenced to at least 15 years detention for Logan’s murder.
He had moved into the family home in Lower Llansantffraid, Sarn, only five days before – a fact prosecutors said was “no coincidence”.
Cole, who brought Mulligan up from nine months old, and the teen was said to have “idolised” him.
During one incident in the home, Mulligan is said to have “sweeped” Logan’s legs from under him while at the same time using his hand to slam his head into the ground.
He had done so, according to Williamson, on the orders of Cole, who had just punched Logan, causing him to fall backwards on to the ground.