Colchester double killer James Fairweather to appeal against sentence
A teenager who murdered two strangers is to appeal against his sentence which ruled he must serve at least 27 years.
James Fairweather, 17, was given two life sentences for killing James Attfield, 33, and Nahid Almanea, 31, in Colchester in 2014.
Mr Attfield was stabbed more than 100 times while Saudi Arabian student Ms Almanea was stabbed with a bayonet.
Simon Spence, QC, said his client was appealing against the "excessive" minimum sentence.
Fairweather, from Colchester, admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, but was found guilty of murder after a trial at Guildford Crown Court.
His defence argued he had been bullied at school and the killings were a result of a combination of his autism, paranoia and voices in his head.
The prosecution and jury rejected the claims.
Mr Spence said the application would be considered by a high court judge who would either grant leave for a full appeal or reject the application.
A date is yet to be set for the hearing.