French students murdered in 'inhuman' attack, court hears

Two French students were murdered in an attack of "brutal and sustained ferocity," leaving a scene of almost unimaginable horror after a botched burglary, a London court heard yesterday.

Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo, both 23, were killed in the "inhuman" attack - during which they were repeatedly stabbed in the head - last June in their rented flat in the tough south London district of New Cross.

Daniel "Dano" Sonnex, 23, and Nigel Farmer, 34, allegedly burst into their flat and demanded their bank cards and personal codes. They managed to withdraw £360 using Mr Bonomo's card.

But when Mr Sonnex tried to take money out of Mr Ferez's account, the card was withheld by a machine - and the pair took their anger out on the Frenchmen, the Old Bailey heard.

"To take revenge for the fact that they had been unable to steal money from Mr Ferez, both men were murdered in a way that can only be described as inhuman," said prosecutor Crispin Aylett.

Jurors at the trial were told to brace themselves before photographs taken from the scene were shown as evidence in court.

The prosecutor said firemen who were the first to arrive at the flat - which was set alight in an apparent attempt to destroy the evidence - found "a scene of almost unimaginable horror."

"The two men, dressed only in their underpants, had been tied up. They had been bound at the ankles and the wrists. Their heads had been wrapped with towels," said Aylett.

"They had been subjected to an attack of brutal and sustained ferocity - one of them had been stabbed 194 times, the other 50 times," he added.