FAMILIES of murder victims have criticised tougher sentencing tariffs for murder as not going far enough.

From today, judges must hand out sentences which in effect will ensure that life will mean life for terrorist murderers, sadistic multiple murderers and child killers.

However, North-East families of victims have argued that the tougher sentencing laws should apply to all murderers and the death penalty should be restored.

As well as the tariffs for terrorists and child killers, Home Secretary David Blunkett, has pushed through laws which mean anyone who murders a police officer, prison officer or witness to a crime must receive a 30-year sentence.

The 30-year minimum sentence will also apply to contract killers, anyone who commits a murder using guns or explosives or who is motivated by racial, religious or sexual hatred of their victim.

Other murderers will receive a minimum sentence of 15 years for adult offenders and a 12-year jail-term for under 18s.

Mr Blunkett said: "Parliament has agreed the new framework, which means that the most dangerous and evil people in our society will stay in prison for longer."

But David Hinds, of the North of England Victims Association, whose 23-year-old daughter was murdered, said the laws did not go far enough.

Mr Hinds, who serves on the Home Office Advisory Panel, said: "What's the point of all these categories? I speak to the families of murder victims and they all say the same thing - if the crime is premeditated it should mean life, end of story.

"They could bring back these categories if they restored capital punishment. At the North of England Victims Association we would even welcome the Canadian system where no murderer gets anywhere near parole until they have served 25 years."

Donald Vaughan, whose sister Laura May was murdered by her Jordanian husband Hassan Shantanawi in 1993, agreed the laws should go further.

Mr Vaughan explained that Shantanawi, a doctor who was having an affair, is due to be released this year after serving 16 years in prison.

He said: "It is a step in the right direction but so many of these things end up being a waste of time and all these categories just throw up anomalies.

"For example if a policeman is killed in the course of his duty why is that different to anybody else, like a security guard, fireman, ambulanceman or anybody doing their job?"