A man who murdered a Wilsden tourist in a botched robbery 20 years ago in Florida has been resentenced to a longer term behind bars.

Aundra Akins, who was only 14 when he gunned down Gary Colley in 1993, was given 27 years in 1997 – the maximum he could receive as a juvenile.

He later also received a life sentence for the attempted murder of Mr Colley's then girlfriend Margaret Jagger, who was also shot in the robbery - but this was later overturned.

Yesterday Akins appeared back in the dock, where he was handed a 40-year sentence for that crime. He was also told there was no hope of parole..

A court official at Jefferson County Court said: "Aundra Akins was sentenced to 40 years to run consecutively to his previous sentence of 27 years for the murder of Gary Colley."

 Mr Colley’s father, Terry Colley, of Brighouse, last night welcomed the longer sentenced handed down to Atkins but added: “I would rather him not come out at all and stay in for the rest of his life.”

He also slammed Akins’ claims to have found the Lord and reformed as “rubbish”.

Miss Jagger travelled to Monticello, Florida, for the hearing.

Before the case, she said: “I didn’t think I would have to come back again.

“Both he and I have served time in different ways.”

Akins told the judge that at the time he did not comprehend the magnitude of what happened, but said he did now.

Akins’ mother appeared at the hearing, and in asking the judge to release her son, said: “I understand what he did was wrong. I know he won’t be no trouble to nobody.”

Akins’ brother, cousin and uncle also testified.

Mr Colley, 34, and Miss Jagger, of Bradford, were attacked by the gang while they were travelling to Tampa. The engineer was the ninth foreign tourist to be killed in the state since the previous autumn, it was reported at the time.

The number of incidents that year prompted the Foreign Office to issue a warning to Britons thinking of travelling to the state – guidance which has since been lifted.