Double killer loses bid to reduce whole life term

Steven Harnett and Katie Higton were murdered on 15 May 2023

A man who killed his ex-partner and her new boyfriend out of "sexual jealousy" has lost a bid to have his jail term reduced.

Marcus Osborne was told he would spend the rest of his life in jail for stabbing Katie Higton and Steven Harnett to death at her home in Huddersfield in May 2023.

His sentencing heard Ms Higton, 27, sustained 99 injuries in the attack, while Mr Harnett, 25, was mutilated and left with 24 knife wounds.

His lawyers told the Court of Appeal his rare whole life order was "not necessary", but three senior judges dismissed the appeal bid.

Osborne attended the hearing via a video link from HMP Wakefield, with his barrister John Elvidge KC telling the court: "We invite this court to consider looking at the case overall, particularly having regard to his guilty plea.

"This is a case where the last resort option was not necessary and he could have been given a very long minimum term."

But Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr told the hearing: "The facts of these two murders, together with their associated offences and taking into account relevant aggravating factors, are so horrific, that whole life terms were appropriate, despite the applicant's guilty pleas.

"These were two planned and brutal murders motivated by sexual jealousy and involving sexual conduct, committed in circumstances designed to maximise the depravity."

Marcus Osborne was sentenced to a whole-life prison term in March

His sentencing in March was told Ms Higton had been in a relationship with Osborne for five years, but left him after he assaulted her.

Days before she was murdered, she told West Yorkshire Police she feared Osborne would "seriously hurt or kill" her and how he had warned her if she started a fresh relationship he would kill them both.

The court heard Osborne, who was 35 when he was sentenced, hacked Ms Higton's Snapchat account and discovered she had a new partner.

He forced his way into the house in Dalton on 15 May 2023 armed with a knife and waited for Ms Higton's return from a cinema date with Mr Harnett.

She was attacked as soon as she stepped through the door, the court previously heard.

Osborne also raped another woman who he had held captive in the house.

During the hearing on Wednesday, Baroness Carr, sitting with Lord Justice Jeremy Baker and Mr Justice Bennathan, said the original sentencing decision "cannot be impugned".

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