Two teenage burglars convicted of stabbing a 71-year-old father-of-five to death with a screwdriver in his holiday villa could be released in just three years.

Businessman Peter Cockshutt was held down and stabbed with a knife and screwdriver twice in the chest and once in the leg at the villa in Costa Del Silencio, Tenerife, in February last year.

A Spanish court ruled his death was the result of a botched burglary at the villa by two youths aged 16 and 14.


Killed: Peter Cockshutt, pictured with wife Patricia, was stabbed in the chest and leg with a knife and screwdriver during a bungled burglary at their villa in Tenerife

The court heard they planned the raid using Microsoft Instant Messenger before picking Mr Cockshutt's villa for the attack.

After the raid, the pair used a camera they had stolen to take pictures of themselves and their friends.

Mr Cockshutt's wife Patricia had left for their home in Hull, East Yorkshire, the day before to arrange for their return after six months on the island.

The boys now face a maximum sentence of eight years, but could be released after serving just over three in a young offenders' institution.

The judge will take up to two weeks to decide what sentence to hand out, although they are likely to get the maximum term.

But with 18 months already served on remand and three of those eight years on licence, the teenagers could be freed within three and a half years.


Botched: Mrs Cockshutt had just returned to their home in Hull after spending six months on the Spanish island when her husband was killed

Both teenagers, from South America, were charged with murder days after the robbery.

Although they admitted killing Mr Cockshutt, they were convicted of murder after a two-day trial at Palacia de Justicia in Santa Cruz.

Mr Cockshutt's daughter Anne Cole, 44, said she thought they would offend again when they were released.

She said: 'These children look like thugs and they are thugs. They lied and showed no remorse.

'They were given the chance to speak but they hardly said a word. Even now, we don't exactly know why they did it.

'I have no qualms in saying they will do something like this again. Even our lawyer believes they will.

'It is sad to think another family could suffer in the way we have.'

The Cockshutt family faced the killers for the first time during this week's trial.

Wife Patricia said there is no way she can forgive his killers after they showed little sign of remorse.

She said: 'It was the first time we had set eyes on them. The older one apologised but the younger one said only one word in Spanish. I don't know if it was sorry or not.

'We didn't see them show any remorse during the trial. It's hard to describe how I feel.

'We heard that they decided beforehand to break in somewhere using MSN(instant messaging).

'They even took pictures of their mates on the camera they stole from Peter.'

Patricia had travelled back and forth to Tenerife five times since her husband was killed to meet lawyers.

The trial had been due to take place in March but was delayed so blood samples could be examined.

Mr Cockshutt, a retired electrician, had lived in east Hull with his wife and five children for most of his life.

The couple moved to Brandesburton, near Hornsea, two years ago.

He had a successful career as an electrician, travelling all over the world. After he retired, they began to spend up to six months of the year in Tenerife.

The couple celebrated their golden wedding four years ago with a world cruise.