THE boy who stabbed two people to death in Colchester has lost an appeal against his jail sentence.

James Fairweather, 17, appealed against a 27-year minimum sentence handed to him in April for the murders of father-of-five, James Attfield, and University of Essex student, Nahid Almanea, two years ago.

Fairweather was just 15 when he carried out the attacks.

A month on from his conviction, defence barrister Simon Spence QC confirmed Fairweather would appeal against his sentence, claiming 27 years is “excessive.”

But this has not been upheld.

Lord Justice Treacy in the Court of Appeal said on Wednesday: "We are not persuaded it was manifestly excessive in an extremely serious case in which an experienced trial judge took much care over the process of sentencing."

Lawyers for Fairweather argued that the trial judge failed to give sufficient weight to his age at the time of the murders or the abnormality of his mental function, but the appeal judges said Mr Justice Spencer had this well in mind and could not be faulted.

"In the circumstances we are not persuaded that the judge fell into error in fixing the minimum term which he did," he said.

The former Colchester Academy pupil, of Thorpe Walk, Colchester, did not appeal against the murder convictions.

Fairweather was sentenced at the Old Bailey after a two-week trial in London on April 29, where he was told he would not be eligible for release until he has served at least 27 years behind bars.

He denied murdering James Attfield and Nahid Almanea, instead admitting to two counts manslaughter by diminished responsibility and possession of an offensive weapon.

Gazette:

Mr Justice Robin Spencer QC, who presided over the case, described the murders as "brutal and sadistic" in his sentencing speech on April 29.

James Attfield, 33, was stabbed to death near to Lower Castle Park, in Colchester on March 29, 2014.

He had been stabbed 102 times.

Mr Attfield, of East Bay, Colchester, was known as Jim to friends and family.

He was found at about 5.30am by a female cyclist on her way into work.

Nahid Almanea, 31, of Woodrow Way, Colchester, was murdered on the Salary Brook Trail on June 17, 2014.

She studied at Essex University and lived with her brother, who normally acted as a chaperone.

Fairweather told doctors he could have killed 15 people and his aim was to become a serial killer.