i am ashamed to belong to the same society that produced such a person . why??
we must look again at our society if we are to prevent characters like this one or was it more ? anyway hanging is not the BRITISH way .i would not want to belong to a vengeful society ,look at the hate the that ISRAEL

alexander macdonald, london,

I was in favour of the death penalty - but it was pointed out to me the death penalty is not really a punishment - just the anticipation of the execution then its over. Better to chain the culprit to a wall in a rat infested pit and leave him there on a diet of bread and water to ponder what he did.

Bob, Cowes, UK

I am deeply shocked by the number of posters who want to bring back the death penalty. Israel, besieged by terrorists, has only hanged one man, Adolf Eichmann. It is a barbaric practice (watch a stoning and you will see what I mean) that demeans us all. A full life sentence is a worse punishment.

Dr. Denis MacEoin, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

A murder so brutal that words cannot describe. I was just as horriified when last night I flicked over to see that BBC was airing Tarantino's Kill Bill !!
Bad taste but if this is what viewers want we shouldn't be too surprised at what is happening here.

Rob, London, UK

steve i can agree on the death penalty returning,,as there are no deterrents in society now,as nu labour want to release criminals early,as the prisons are full,but i can never agree manchester is in cheshire !!

simon, manchester, lancashire

I believe there can be a place for capital punishment in a civilised society. Of course, only in cases of extreme and *outrageous* violence. There should be provision for public prosecutors to request such a sentence, after establishment of guilt. Why should people capable of such acts get to live?

Marios, Newcastle, Tyne&Wear

To Alex, Nottingham: 'Lock him up. Leave him with the crime scene photos'. The suspect would probably display them as a badge of honour.
Also I disagree that capital punishment doesn't work, at least there are not repeat offenders with it.

John, London, England

And what exactly is wrong with vengeance? In my view punishment should always exceed the original crime. The victim is innocent, whereas the criminal guilty and therefore should suffer more. Justice is not necessarily symmetrical. Terrorize the knife criminal, and knife crime will vanish.

John, Riga, Latvia

South Africa has the highest murder rate in the world - it didn't when we had capital punishemnt - yes the are many other components to this argument yet this is one that cannot be ignored. Crime and punishment, risk and profit, love and marriage, fish and chips. They belong together.

haralambos, joburg,

am well shocked :( whoa so this is gr8 brit

ayesha , notts , uk

steve: Perhaps, politicians do not support the death penalty because they are away that it does not do anything to lower crime rates - it is not an effective deterrant.
Perhaps, too, they can see the hypocrisy in saying to a murderer, "It's wrong to kill people, so we're going to kill you."

Claire, Paris, France/UK

I'm particularly shocked by this horrible crime having myself studied a couple of months in London.
I really hope this case will be solved and the murderer judged quickly.

Mal, Reykjavik, Iceland

Welcome to Britain! Is this what our country is now all about?
My sympathies go out to the families of the young men who have lost thier lives in this dreadful way.

Nita, Notts, UK

The repetitive stabbing reminds me of the behaviour of some revolutionary students of Mao Tse Tung harassing and killing their young victimes slowly in public.
The repetition may mean they wanted to show their skills as murderers.
But there are not psychopaths only in Asia.

bernie, Montreal, Canada

I've been following this case because I simply can't get my head around it. To do what has been done here, even in desperation and poverty, is completely depraved. Tying someone up, gagging them, torturing them - calculated and wanton crime. My greatest sympathies go to the families and friends.

Michelle, Gloucester,

Steve you ask why our liberal politicians will not support the death penalty, that obvious THEY ARE ALL OUT OF TOUCH WITH PUBLIC OPINION.

Bill, Truro, Cornwall

Fight killing with more killing.... oh wait thats never worked.

Lock him up. Leave him with the crime scene photos.

Worst than death.

Alex, Nottingham,

So did the Birmingham Pub bombings - and 6 more innocents would have died. The death penalty is vengeance, not justice, and only brutal and uncivilised countries sanction it.

This has been an horrific crime, and our thoughts should be with the victims' families.

Aine, Leicester,

A crime like this deserves the death sentance. Of course our liberal politicians will not support this action. Why?

steve tea, manchester, cheshire