Reading terror attacker sentenced to whole life order
Last updated 12th Jan 2021
Reading terror attacker 26-year-old Khairi Saadallah, who executed three men in Forbury Gardens in Reading last year, and injured three others, has been sentenced at the Old Bailey to a whole life order.
It means he will not be considered for parole.
Saadallah shouted Allahu akhbar'' as he fatally stabbed friends James Furlong, 36, Dr David Wails, 49, and Joseph Ritchie-Bennett, 39, on June 20 last year.
Three other people - Stephen Young, 51, Patrick Edwards, 29, and Nishit Nisudan, 34 - were also injured before Saadallah threw away the eight-inch knife and ran off, pursued by an off-duty police officer.
As he was detained, a Muslim member of the public told him: "You have nothing to do with Islam b*d,'' adding: "I am just livid.''
The failed Libyan asylum seeker had launched the attacks in Forbury Gardens, Reading, as the victims were enjoying a summer evening after the first lockdown restrictions in England were relaxed.
Saadallah, of Basingstoke Road, Reading, pleaded guilty to three murders and three attempted murders.
On Monday, Mr Justice Sweeney sentenced him at the Old Bailey to a whole-life order, saying it was a rare and exceptional'' case.
The judge said: The two groups were each doing nothing more than sitting in gardens, a focal point of Reading since the 18th century.''
The victims were each killed with a single thrust of the knife with the attack lasting less than a minute.
Mr Justice Sweeney said:
His attack on them was so swift, ruthless and brutal that none of them had any chance to react, let alone to defend themselves.
Using his combat experience in each of their cases the defendant targeted a vulnerable area where a single thrust of the knife would, as he intended, inevitably cause death.''
The judge said the defendant had done substantial planning.
He added:
During the course of the attack and afterwards and because he was seeking to advance a political, religious or ideological cause, the defendant was shouting in Arabic, 'God is the greatest' and 'God accept my jihad'.''
He rejected the argument that Saadallah was suffering a mental illness at the time of the killings.
Reading Borough Council Leader Jason Brock paid tribute to the way the people of Reading reacted to the terrible incident:
“For Reading’s community as a whole, the horrific events of June 20th are something we will never forget. In the dark days which followed the brutal and senseless killings, our town was utterly shocked and appalled. The attacks felt very intimate to us all, taking place as they did in the beautiful surroundings of our own Forbury Gardens.
“But I will also never forget Reading’s remarkable response, which was dignified and compassionate. The civic pride and the togetherness, with sets our town and community apart from so many, shone through. That response was personified at the moving vigil which took place a week later.
“Acts of violence like this are designed to divide us, but we must always remember that Reading has a reputation for strong community relations and cohesion across the town – we stand together. It remains more important than ever to uphold these local strengths.
“An important part of the healing process will be the creation of a permanent memorial to the victims, and we remain fully committed to this. We will be working with the families of James, David and Joe, alongside their close friends, those who were injured and groups from across our communities, to develop proposals. It is essential that a range of groups and individuals, representative of the diverse nature of Reading's community, all have the opportunity to take part in this process and it is important that it is not rushed.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Kath Barnes, QPM, head of Counter Terrorism Police South-East, said:
“Saadallah is a committed jihadist and was intent on killing as many people as he could on that sunny summer’s evening in June.
“As the evidence has shown, Saadallah planned this attack in meticulous detail. The men he killed were not just murdered, they were executed at such a speed, they had very little chance to react or defend themselves.
“The horrors of this incident took just a single minute to unfold. It took him less than 10 seconds to kill three innocent men, and he then went on to attack and tried to kill another three men before running off towards the town centre.
“In that tiny timeframe, he changed the lives of all those involved forever.
“He has caused unspeakable hurt and distress to the families of the three men who were brutally murdered as they were relaxing and enjoying socialising with friends on a Saturday evening. I’m sure there will also be lasting effects on those who were injured in the attack, who were fortunate not to have been even more seriously harmed.
“The scene for other people in the busy park at the time of this incident was horrendous and I must pay tribute to the many people who assisted with giving first aid and who have subsequently provided important evidence as part of our investigation.
“The details heard during this hearing will undoubtedly have been distressing for the families of the victims and survivors and I extend my sincere thanks to each and every one of them for their unwavering support throughout this investigation.
“The investigation was led by a specialist team of investigators; police officers and police staff from CTPSE. The sentence passed today is testament to their tenacity in investigating this extremely complex case.”
You can report any suspicious behaviour or activity that you think could be terrorist-related via the Action Counters Terrorism (ACT) website or alternatively, call police in confidence on 0800 789 321.