Anthony Walker: Racist killers' sentences 'should not be cut'

Anthony Walker's killer should not have their sentences reduced, according to his mother

The mother of Anthony Walker who was murdered in a racist attack 10 years ago has said his killers should not have their sentences reduced.

Michael Barton and Paul Taylor were jailed for life for the 2005 murder of Anthony Walker in Huyton, Merseyside.

Gee Walker said the law "promised" they should serve their minimum tariffs of 17 and 23 years respectively.

She said more needs to be done to tackle hate crimes in Merseyside and the problem is far from solved.

Anthony was killed in an axe attack at a bus stop in Huyton on 30 July 2005 which caused national revulsion.

Barton, who was 17 at the time of the murder, is seeking to get his minimum sentence reviewed by the courts because of his age at the time.

'Dishonouring his memory'

Mrs Walker, who set up a charity in her son's name to promote racial harmony, questioned the message it sent out to younger people that, if they commit a crime, it will "get reviewed".

Anthony Walker was chased into a park in Huyton and killed with an axe in 2005

"The amount of work that got into the conviction - what are they trying to say? That it doesn't count?"

She said the legal system should fulfil that promise as it is "the least they can do for us victims is carry out that promise and make the law work for us."

Mrs Walker said from the start she had forgiven her son's killers, Paul Taylor and Michael Barton, the brother of footballer Joey Barton.

Forgiveness is "not about the perpetrator, but about obedience to God and Anthony," she added.

Her son would be "the first to pull me up" if she didn't forgive and "I would be dishonouring his memory," she said.

Mrs Walker also said Paul Taylor had offered to meet her, but her children were against it.

She said she wanted to meet him "because how else can we help others if we don't understand what's going on?"