I have just finished defending as led counsel in a seven week murder trial. Schedule 21 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 is the relevant legislation for sentencing those who are convicted of murder. There are a range of starting points including a 30 year starting point and the whole life tarif for exceptionally serious cases. A murder for gain (such as a robbery) normally comes under the 30 year starting point but each case is different and judges, quite properly, have a degree of discretion in sentencing. Youth is of course a relevant mitigating feature as is an intention to seriously harm but not to kill.