Among the 20, who are from across the UK and aged from 14 to 89 years old, is Ali Harbi Ali.
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.
13. Koci Selamaj
Koci Selamaj murdered 28-year-old primary school teacher Sabina Nessa as she made her way to meet a friend.
Selamaj had travelled to London from the south coast to carry out the premeditated attack on a random woman.
The garage worker targeted her as she walked through Cator Park in Kidbrooke, south-east London on 17 September 2021.
CCTV footage captured the moment Selamaj ran up behind her and hit her over the head 34 times with a 2ft-long metal traffic triangle.
He carried her unconscious body up a grassy bank and out of view. Selamaj stangled her and then covered her body with grass. Sabina’s body was discovered nearly 24 hours later. In April Selamaj was sentenced to at least 36 years. Photo: Midlands
14. Cody Ackland
Cody Ackland attacked 18-year-old Bobbi-Anne McLeod as she waited for the bus.
He then loaded the semi-conscious teenager into the footwell of his Ford Fiesta and drove her 20 miles to the Bellever Forest car park on Dartmoor where he killed her with a hammer on 20 November 2021.
In his confession to police, Ackland, who was obsessed with serial killer Ted Bundy, claimed Bobbi-Anne could still walk, although he had to support her, when they arrived and had told him “I’m scared”.
He claimed he had replied: “So am I, I have never done this before”.
Ackland then struck her 12 times to the head and face with the hammer, before standing on her neck when he saw she was still breathing.
He burnt her handbag and loaded her body into his boot and drove 30 miles back towards Plymouth to Bovisand where he left her in undergrowth.
Three days later, Ackland turned himself in and confessed. Earlier this year he was jailed for at least 31 years, Ackland who was 24 years old at the time was told he may never be released.
15. David Venables
At the age of 89 years old justice finally caught up with David Venables. He was found guilty for the murder of his wife Brenda in 1982. The retired pig farmer had killed her and hid her body in a septic tank. Venables, who later tried to blame Fred West for his wife’s murder, had reported Brenda missing to police in 1982 and told officers she had been depressed.
But detectives launched a murder probe after her remains were found in the septic tank in 2019 at the farmhouse the couple had shared in Kempsey, Worcestershire.
During his trial jurors were told he killed Brenda because he “wanted her out of the way” so he could resume a “long-standing” affair. In July he was jailed for at least 18 years and his sentence means he would have to reach the age of 107 before he can even apply for parole.
16. Collin Reeves.
Afghanistan veteran Collin Reeves stabbed his neighbours to death as their children slept upstairs following a row over parking.
In June Colin Reeves was jailed for at least 38 years for knifing his neighbours Stephen and Jennifer Chapple six times each at their house in Norton Fitzwarren, near Taunton in Somerset, on the evening of 21 November 2021.
He had denied murder, claiming the offence was one of manslaughter with diminished responsibility.
Two forensic psychiatrists concluded Reeves was not suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or psychosis, but diagnosed him with moderate and mild depression respectively.
The court heard the Chapples and Reeves previously had a good relationship but it had deteriorated when Jennifer Chapple learned to drive and bought a second car.
Rows over parking spaces escalated to the point that both Reeves’ wife Kayley and Jennifer had told their friends they were anxious about bumping into each other on the school run.