CAMPAIGNERS fighting for longer life sentences for murderers last night welcomed the news that North-East triple killer Arthur Hutchinson will remain behind bars for ever.

Grieving families said they were glad appeal judges had “seen sense”

and thrown out the 67-year-old’s attempt to persuade them that his “whole life” sentence had violated his human rights.

Hartlepool-born Hutchinson, who became known as The Fox, was convicted in 1984 of the brutal murders of Basil Laitner, his wife, Avril, and their son, Richard, at their home in the Sheffield suburb of Dore.

The Laitners had hosted the wedding reception of daughter Suzanne at their home hours before Hutchinson broke in and knifed them to death.

After he was jailed for life, he was initially told he must spend at least 18 years behind bars, but four years later the sentencing judge said Hutchinson’s was “genuinely a life case”.

In the same year, the then Lord Chief Justice, Lord Lane, said he did not think “this man should ever be released, quite apart from the risk which would be involved”.

And when Hutchinson’s minimum jail term – or tariff – was reviewed earlier this year at the High Court, Mr Justice Tugendhat also said he should never be released.

“These were exceptionally serious murders and it is right that Hutchinson should remain in prison for the rest of his life by way of punishment,”

he said.

But yesterday at the Court of Appeal, Hutchinson’s defence team argued that condemning him to spend the rest of his life behind bars violated his right to liberty.

They sought to persuade Lord Justice Dyson, Mr Justice Henriques and Mr Justice Openshaw that the original recommendation of 18 years was the correct one.

Declan O’Callaghan, representing Hutchinson, said he had “clung on”

to the hope of an 18-year tariff and argued that condemning him to spend the rest of his life behind bars violated his right to liberty, his right not to suffer inhuman treatment and his right to a fair hearing.

But Lord Justice Dyson said there was “no substance” in any of the arguments and that, although the sentencing judge’s mixed message had raised a “puzzle”, it was clear that Hutchinson should never be released.

He concluded: “The judge’s direction was plainly right.

“This was a truly shocking case and, in the experience of all three members of this court, we can say that none of us has ever had a case of greater gravity or more heinous than this case.

“In our judgement, Mr Justice Tugendhat was plainly correct that Hutchinson should spend the rest of his life in custody, without prospect of release.”

Sunderland grandfather John Johnson, whose 22-year-old son, Kevin, was stabbed to death outside his home last year after confronting a group of rowdy thugs, said: “I’m glad to hear it. Life should mean life.

Once someone is convicted of a heinous crime, they should lose their human rights. The victims have no rights.”

Theresa Cave, whose son, Chris, was stabbed to death near his home, in Redcar, east Cleveland, after trying to protect his friend from a drugcrazed intruder, said: “There are too many human rights for offenders.”