Sophie Hook
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sophie Hook (born 27th May 1988 in Cheshire, England; died 30th July 1995 in Llandudno, Wales) is a British murder victim.
She disappeared from a tent in her uncle's garden in Llandudno, north Wales, in the early hours of 30th July 1995. Her body was found several hours later, washed up on a nearby beach, by a man walking his dog along the coast. She had been raped twice and strangled to death before her body was dumped in the sea.
A local man called Howard Hughes was soon arrested and charged with Sophie's murder. He was found guilty of murder and double rape at Chester Crown Court on 18th July 1996 and sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommendation that he should never be released. Six years later, Hughes was told by Home Secretary David Blunkett that he would have to spend at least 50 years behind bars before being considered for release. This recommendation would have kept Hughes behind bars until at least 2045 and the age of 80, but the system was declared illegal within 48 hours.
BBC News - Killer given 50-year term, 26 November 2002</ref>
