In his sentencing remarks, Justice Jonathan Baker said he was satisfied that the “suspect and his brother were equally punished for the deaths and injuries caused by the explosion.”
Salman Abedi, who was 22, died in the blast along with 22 victims. More than 260 others were injured, some very seriously, Baker said.
“The suspect has been convicted of 22 counts of murder, there is only one sentence that can be imposed on him for these crimes and that is a life sentence,” said Baker of Hashem Abedi.
But because the suspect was 20 years old at the time of the crime, he was too young to be sentenced to life and was therefore sentenced to a minimum of 55 years in custody, Baker stated in his ruling.
“The suspect should clearly understand that the minimum term he has to serve is 55 years. He can never be released,” Baker said.
Although it was his brother who detonated the device, Baker said Hashem Abedi, now 23, “took an integral part not only in planning such an event, but in participating in its preparation.”
According to the verdict, Abedi assisted his brother in gathering the material needed to prepare the explosive device. Abedi was also found to have helped his brother in building the device, Baker said.
“It appears from the electronic material carefully collected during the subsequent police investigation that both the suspect and his brother were fully involved in these purchases, the latter of which was made with an e-mail address that was created for the purpose namely [email protected] which translates as meaning, ‘We have come to slaughter,’ ‘Baker said.
Baker said the choice for the Ariana Grande concert as a goal “is one in which the suspect and his brother will easily appreciate the high risk of death and serious injury for those who were particularly vulnerable because of their young age.
“The stark reality is that these were heinous crimes: great in their scale, deadly in their intent and terrible in their consequences.”
When the sentence was handed down, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson paid tribute to the victims of what he called a ‘horrifying and cowardly act of violence’.
“Those who have been taken from us will never be forgotten, and the minds of the people of Manchester who came together to send a clear message to the whole world that terrorists will never occur,” he tweeted.
“My thoughts remain with the survivors, and with the friends and families of the victims, who have shown remarkable courage and dignity.”
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