THE three teenagers who murdered Garry Newlove received more than £500,000 worth of legal aid during their trial and appeals.

Adam Swellings, aged 21, from Crewe, Stephen Sorton, aged 18, from Honister Avenue, and Jordan Cunliffe, aged 17, from Rowland Close, were all found guilty of Mr Newlove's murder after a trial in 2008.

Swellings, the ringleader, was sentenced to 17 years in jail and received £133,032 in legal aid for his trial and £6,187 for his failed appeal.

Cunliffe was sentenced to 12 years for murder in January last year.

His trial cost £200,000. He did not appeal.

Sorton received £167,561 for his trial and a further £2,624 for the appeal that saw his term cut by two years.

The figures were released under the Freedom of Information Act.

Mr Newlove's widow Helen described the figure as 'sickening'.

She and her daughters Zoe, Danielle and Amy saw the attack on Mr Newlove.

Their experiences were used as evidence in the court case against Swellings, Sorton, Cunliffe and two other boys, who were found not guilty.

Since her husband's death Mrs Newlove has set up Newlove Warrington, a charity that aims to provide activities for teenagers and turn them away from anti-social behaviour.

Mr Newlove was kicked to death by the teenagers in a ferocious attack outside his home, in Fearnhead, Warrington, in August 2007. They attacked him after he challenged them over damage to his wife's car. He died in hospital two days later.